History of Tennis

The game that most people call tennis is the direct descendant of what is now known as real tennis
or royal tennis (which continues to be played today as a separate sport with more complex rules).
Most of the rules of the game commonly known as tennis derive from real or royal tennis. It is
reasonable to see both sports as variations of the same game. Most historians believe
that tennis originated in the monastic cloisters in northern France in the 12th century, but the ball
was then struck with the palm of the hand hence the name jeu de paume ("game of the palm").[1] It
was not until the 16th century that rackets came into use, and the game began to be called "tennis."
It was popular in England and France and Henry VIII of England was a big fan of the game, now
referred to as real tennis.[2]

Many original tennis courts remain, including courts at Oxford, Cambridge and Hampton Court
Palace. Many of the French courts were decommissioned with the terror that accompanied the
French Revolution. The Tennis Court Oath (Serment du Jeu de Paume) was a pivotal event during
the first days of the French Revolution. The Oath was a pledge signed by 576 of the 577 members
from the Third Estate who were locked out of a meeting of the Estates-General on 20 June 1789.
Any history of tennis that ignores its origins in the game that was (and is still in certain circles)
known as tennis until "lawn tennis" became popular in the late nineteenth century is inaccurate.

The Davis Cup, an annual competition between men's national teams, dates to 1900. [3] The
analogous competition for women's national teams, the Fed Cup, was founded as the Federation
Cup in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the International Tennis Federation,
also known as the ITF.

In 1926, promoter C.C. Pyle created the first professional tennis tour with a group of American and
French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. [4][5] The most notable of these
early professionals were the American Vinnie Richards and the Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen.[4]
[6]
Once a player turned pro he or she could not compete in the major (amateur) tournaments.[4]

In 1968, commercial pressures and rumors of some amateurs taking money under the table led to
the abandonment of this distinction, inaugurating the "open era", in which all players could compete
in all tournaments, and top players were able to make their living from tennis. [7] With the beginning of
the open era, the establishment of an international professional tennis circuit, and revenues from the
sale of television rights, tennis's popularity has spread worldwide, and the sport has shed its
upper/middle-class English-speaking image[8] (although it is acknowledged that this stereotype still
exists)

Tennis Rules

Tennis is a sport that originated in England around the 19th century and is now played
in a host of countries around the world. There are four major tournaments known as the
majors that include Wimbledon, US Open, French Open and Australian tournament.

Object Of The Game

The game of tennis played on a rectangular court with a net running across the centre.
The aim is to hit the ball over the net landing the ball within the margins of the court and
in a way that results in your opponent being unable to return the ball. You win a point
every time your opponent is unable to return the ball within the court.

Players & Equipment

A tennis match can be played by either one player on each side a singles match or
two players on each side a doubles match. The rectangular shaped court has a base
line (at the back), service areas (two spaces just over the net in which a successful
serve must land in) and two tram lines down either side. A singles match will mean you
use the inner side tram line and a doubles match will mean you use the outer tram line.
A court can be played on four main surfaces including grass, clay, hard surface and
carpet. Each tournament will choose one surface type and stick without throughout. All
that is required in terms of equipment is a stringed racket each and a tennis ball.

Scoring
You need to score four points to win a game of tennis. The points are known as 15 (1
point), 30 (two points), 40 (three points) and the fourth would result in the winning point
and the end of that game. If the scores went to 40-40 this would be known as deuce.
When a game reaches deuce the player must then win by two clear points.

Winning The Game

To win the game you must win a certain amount of sets (best of three for womens
matches and best of 5 sets for mens matches). Winning a set is simply the first player to
reach 6 games but have to be clear by at least 2 games. If your opponent wins 5 games
you must win the set 7-5. If the set goes to 6-6 then a tie break is played and its simply
the first player to 7 points.

Rules of Tennis
o The game starts with a coin toss to determine which player must
serve first and which side they want to serve from.
o The server must then serve each point from alternative sides on the
base line. At no point must the servers feet move in front of the
baseline on the court prior to hitting their serve.
o If the server fails to get their first serve in they may take advantage
of a second serve. If they again fail to get their second serve in then a
double fault will be called and the point lost.
o If the server clips the net but the ball goes in the service area still
then let is called and they get to take that serve again without penalty.
If the ball hits the net and fails to go in the service area then out is
called and they lose that serve.
o The receiver may stand where they wish upon receipt of the serve. If
the ball is struck without the serve bouncing then the server will
receive the point.
o Once a serve has been made the amount of shots between the
players can be unlimited. The point is won by hitting the ball so the
opponent fails to return it in the scoring areas.
o Points are awarded in scores of 15, 30 and 40. 15 represent 1 point,
30 = 2 and 40 = 3. You
o need 4 points to win a game. If a game lands on 40-40 its known as
deuce. From deuce a player needs to win 2 consecutive points to win
the game. After winning one point from deuce they player is on
advantage. If the player wins the next point they win the game, if they
lose it goes back to deuce.
o To win the set a player must win 6 games by 2 or more. The opening
sets will go to a tie break if its ends up 6-6 where players play first to 7
points. The final set will not have a tie break and requires players to
win by two games with no limits.
o If a player touches the net, distracts his opponent or impedes in
anyway then they automatically lose the point.
o The ball can hit any part of the line for the point to be called in,
outside the line and the ball is out.
o The balls in a tennis match are changed for new balls every 6 games
o A player loses a point if they fail to return the ball in either the
correct areas on the court, hits the net and doesnt go into opponents
area or fails to return the ball before it bounces twice in their half.

Tennis Equipment & Facilities

o Court Dimensions
Overall dimensions
The singles tennis court is measures 27 ft wide by 78 ft long. The doubles court is slightly wider, 36 ft
wide while being the same length as the singles court.

o Court Surface Types

Court Surfaces

Tennis can be played on a myriad of surface types, though they are generally divided into these three
categories.

Clay court
Clay courts are considered as "slow", which means the balls bounces relatively high and more slowly,
making is difficult for player to hit an un returnable shot. On clay courts, line calls are easily reviewable
because the ball leaves a visible mark. The French Open is played on a Clay court

o Tennis racket string selection

o There are so many different tennis rackets to choose from these days, so how do you know what
is best for you. There are tennis rackets designed for power and some for finesse. Each company
has incorporated different technology into their rackets, Head uses flexpoint and liquidmetal
technology in several of their rackets. Wilson uses the nCode technology in their rackets and
every other company has their own theories of what is best in a racket.
These are all great but what about the string. String is just as important in the performance of a
racket as the racket itself. The type and gage of the string as well as the tension of the string will
all effect how the racket will perform. There are also different stringing patterns which will effect
how the racket reacts to the ball. You can turn a high quality racket into a useless piece of
equipment if your string isnt set properly for you. The perfect racket just isnt enough.

o Hawkeye Line Calling System

Hawk-Eye line-calling system

Hawk-eye is the name of a line-calling system which traces a ball's trajectory and sends it to a virtual-
reality machine.

Method

Hawk-Eye uses six or more computer-linked television cameras situated around the court. The computer
reads in the video in real time, and tracks the path of the tennis ball on each camera. These six separate
views are then combined together to produce an accurate 3D representation of the path of the ball.

o Tennis racket Selection tips for you

Choosing Your Tennis Racket

If you want to be able to play to the best of your ability then the equipment that you use is extremely
important. There are many different factors to consider when choosing your tennis racket.

o Grip Size - Playing with the wrong sized grip can really hamper your game. An easy way to
measure the correct grip size is to hold the racket and you should be able to fit your index finger
in between the heel of your palm and the tips of your fingers

o Head Size - When deciding on the your head size there are a few general rules to remember. A
larger head size generally generates more power, has a larger and has a larger sweet spot
making it perfect for beginners or those with slow swing speeds. Many better players will choose
a smaller head size as they generate much more power through their high swing speeds and
have more control with the smaller racket

o racket Balance - The racket balance of choice will depend on the type of tennis that you play.
Net players tend to prefer head light rackets as they have more control at close quarters.
Baseline hitters will opt for a head heavy racket as they can generate the power they require from
the wider swing

o racket Weight - The weight of the racket is one of the most important factors. If the racket is too
heavy it can cause painful injuries that are difficult to shift. In recent years rackets have been
getting lighter and lighter but they mean you must generate more racket speed to hit with equal
power
 o Tennis Equipment

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I
NEED TO PLAY TENNIS?
TENNIS RACQUET
If you dont have a racquet, you cant play. Tennis racquets are available
from a variety of outlets, including sporting goods stores like Rebel Sport and
Sportsmart, the pro shops at major tennis centres like Melbourne Park, or
through online retailers such as Tennis Warehouse. Theres even a limited
range at department stores including Big W and Kmart.

The advantage of buying a racquet in store rather than online, is that you
may have the chance to test it out. With all aspects of the racquet length,
weight, head shape, grip size and the strings affecting how you hit the ball,
its important that you get a feel for it and choose one with the right balance
of these elements to suit your game style and playing ability.

> Check out our guide on how to choose a tennis racquet

RACQUET ACCESSORIES
Playing a lot of tennis will eventually cause the grip on your racquet handle
to become tatty and worn out. Replacement grips can be found wherever you
buy a racquet, and generally provide cushioning for comfort.

As you get a bit more serious about your tennis, you might want to consider
the following:

overgrips for enhanced tackiness and thickness on your racquet handle

vibration absorbers (dampeners) to insert between your strings to dampen shock at
the point of ball impact
lead tape for experimenting with the weighting of your racquet frame.
BALLS
These should be supplied by clubs or tennis centres if youre competing, but
if youre just having a hit, youll need to bring your own.

Tennis balls come in a range of brands and different packaging, but the
dimensions and colour (yellow) are pretty uniform. And you can pick them up
in many places generally for around $10 per can at sports and
department stores, online, at pro shops and even sometimes at newsagents.

> View Tennis Australias list of approved balls for competition

A good rule of thumb is to buy balls that are suitable for all court surfaces
(although you can buy surface-specific balls) and to have at least three or
four with you on court. Playing with less will mean you spend a lot of time
retrieving the ones you have between points, and less time hitting!

RACQUET BAG
All the equipment listed above needs somewhere to go thats where a
racquet bag comes in. These are specially shaped to accommodate the
contours of your racquet, with pockets and recesses to store other items like
cans of balls, extra clothes and tennis accessories. Theyre available from
sporting goods stores, pro shops and online, and come armed with a
shoulder strap so you can stride onto court looking like a pro.

Most tennis racquet companies manufacture racquet bags, which can come
in slim versions for storing one or two racquets (usually under $50) or wider,
bulkier models to store multiple racquets and more accessories (often
upwards of $100).

Following are some other items you might consider to pack in your racquet
bag:

Drink bottle

Its crucial youre getting enough fluids when playing tennis (check out our
hydration tips), so make sure you have a large drink bottle packed (over 750
ml) and filled with cool water.
Sunscreen

Given youll most likely be playing outdoors in direct sunlight, keep a tube or
bottle of high-protection sunscreen (available from pharmacies,
supermarkets and department stores) in your bag and apply before going on
court. The fact that youll be sweating when playing means youll need to
reapply more often.

Towel

A great way to combat sweat is to pack a towel you can dry off at each
change of ends or even between points if you need to. While any towel is
fine, if you want to feel like a pro you can purchase the iconic Australian
Open towels from the online Australian Open Shop!