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The origin of tennis like
most origins of things, come as a mystery and has a lot of theories and
disputes. One of the versions of the origin of tennis brings us back to the
Stone Age man hitting rocks backwards and forwards possibly with clubs. A
more extensive origin of tennis is derived from Handball, an adaptation of
which was played in the ancient civilizations of Rome, Greece and Egypt. It
is believed that the origin of the name ‘tennis’ came from an Egyptian town
on the Nile called Tinnis and the word ‘racquet’ is taken from the
word ‘rahat’ which means palm, both are Arabic words.
Another assumption on the
origin of tennis believes that the French invented the game, around the 11th
or 12th century, and that the word tennis is taken from the
French word ‘Tenez’ which means ‘take it’ or ‘play’. Legend
has it that the game was given to French Royal Court in the 10th
century by a wandering minstrel, but anyhow, by the 11th century
early tennis was being played by French monks, they played the game by
hitting the ball against the monastery walls and sometimes even over a rope
strung across a courtyard. Hands were used to hit the ball in the beginning
which is why it was first called jeu de paume (game of hand);
then later on gloves were used and eventually players started to use short
bats which came to be the modern day racquet. Louis IV and the Church both
tried to ban the game in France because of the popularity the game was
gaining where about 1800 courts were built, but they failed. By the 14th
century, Tennis spread to England where both Henry VII and Henry the VIII
became avid players of the game initiating building of courts across the
country.
By 1500 the tennis racquet
was no longer made completely of wood but consisted of a wooden handle with
a sheep gut strung head. In 1850, Charles Goodyear invented vulcanization
which resulted to bouncier balls being available for tennis game. In 1858,
Major T.H. Gem and J.B. Perara invented an outdoor version of tennis which
adapted for play on grass, and in 1873, Major Walter Wingfield reinvented a
newer version of Tennis using modified rules and equipment which he patented
under the name “Sphairistike”. He can be said to be the father of modern
day tennis.
The old game of Tennis
still called jeu de paume in France experienced being overshadowed by
the new found dominance of the Lawn version. Tennis is now called Real
Tennis or Royal Tennis in Britain to differentiate it from Lawn Tennis and
in the USA it is known as Court Tennis.
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