Tennis is a ball game, usually played between two singles players or a combination of two pairs. A player hits a tennis ball with a tennis racket across the net on a tennis court. The object of the game is to make it impossible for the opponent to effectively maneuver the ball back to himself. Players who cannot return the ball will not receive points, while opponents will receive points.

Tennis is an Olympic sport for all social classes and all ages. Anyone with access to a racket can play the sport, including wheelchair users.

Development History

The modern game of tennis originated in Birmingham, England in the late 19th century as lawn tennis. It is closely associated with various field (turf) games such as croquet and bowling, as well as the old racket sport known today as real tennis.

In fact, for most of the 19th century, the term tennis referred to actual tennis, not lawn tennis: for example, in Disraeli’s novel Sybill (1845), Lord Eugene Deville announced that he would “Go to Hampton Court Palace and play tennis.

The rules of modern tennis have barely changed since the 1890s. The two exceptions were from 1908 to 1961, when competitors had to keep one foot at all times, and tiebreakers were used in the 1970s.

The latest addition to professional tennis is the adoption of electronic commenting technology and a click-and-challenge system that allows players to compete against line calls to a point, a system known as Hawk-Eye.

Major game

Enjoyed by millions of recreational players, tennis is a popular global spectator sport. The four major championships (also known as Grand Slams) are particularly popular: the Australian Open is played on hard courts, the French Open is played on clay, Wimbledon is played on grass, and the US Open is also played Played on hard courts.