Tennis

 Tennis

1.When was tennis invented? (historical development)

 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, although the game was only played indoors where the ball could be hit off the wall. 

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.
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.

^{The word "Tennis" came into use in English in the mid-13th century from Old French, via the Anglo-Norman term Tenez, which can be translated as "hold!", "receive!" or "take!". A call from the server to his opponent indicating that he is about to serve.[12] The first known appearance of the word in English literature is by poet John Gower in his poem titled 'In Praise of Peace' dedicated to King Henry IV and composed in 1400; "Of the tenetz to winne or lese a chase, Mai no lif wite er that the bal be ronne". (Whether a chase is won or lost at tennis, Nobody can know until the ball is run)}

 

2.General information

Tennis is a racquet sport that can be played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a racquet that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent's court. The object of the game is to play the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a good return. The opponent who is unable to return the ball will not gain a point, while the opposite opponent will. For playing tennis you need :

• Restringing
• Tennis balls and other accessories
• Racquets
• Tennis bags
• Clothing
• Shoes

Tennis is played on a rectangular, flat surface, usually grass, clay, or a hardcourt of concrete, asphalt, or acrylic; occasionally carpet is used for indoor play. The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, and 27 feet (8.23 m) wide for singles matches and 36 ft (10.97 m) for doubles matches.^[41] Additional clear space around the court is required in order for players to reach overrun balls. A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. It is held up by either a metal cable or cord that can be no more than 0.8 cm (1/3 inch).^[42] The net is 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) high at the posts and 3 feet (0.914 m) high in the center.^[41] The net posts are 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the doubles court on each side or, for a singles net, 3 feet (0.914 m) outside the singles court on each side. There are grass courts, hard courts, clay courts and other surfaces as well.

3. Some tennis events

• The 1879 Wimbledon Championships took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament ran from 7 July until 16 July. It was the 3rd staging of the Wimbledon Championships, and the first Grand Slam tennis event of 1879. The entry for the 1879 all comers' tournament was 45, of whom 36 were newcomers. The all comers' final was watched by 1100 spectators

• The 1986 Italian Open was a men's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts at the Foro Italico in Rome in Italy that was part of the 1986 Nabisco Grand Prix. The men's tournament was held from May 12 through May 18, 1986 while the women's tournament was not held this year. 
• 
  The 1987 Bordeaux Open also known as the "Grand Prix Passing Shot" was a tennis tournament played on Clay Courts in Bordeaux in France that was part of the 1987 Nabisco Grand Prix. The tournament was held from July 13 through July 18, 1987.
  
  
   

 4.Famous sportsmen are involved in tennis

Jennifer Capriati 

Former pro-tennis player Jennifer Capriati is known for her incredible comeback after several personal struggles. In 1990 she was the youngest player to ever be ranked in the Women's Tennis Association top ten.

Synopsis

Jennifer Capriati is a former professional tennis player, who in 1990 became the youngest player to ever be ranked in the Women's Tennis Association top ten. A gifted athlete from the time she was born, Capriati began watching her father play tennis as a toddler, beginning lessons by the time she was in kindergarten. After moving to Florida, she started taking lessons from Jimmy Evert, the father of former tennis star Chris Evert. In 1990 she made her professional debut at just 13 years old, winning her first professional tournament in Puerto Rico later that year. After several personal struggles including drug possession she took a break from the sport, returning in 2001 with an incredible comeback. She has won 14 professional tournaments throughout her career.

Maria Sharapova

 Maria Sharapova has won various honors throughout her career, including the 2012 and 2014 French Open and a silver medal in women's singles at the 2012 Olympics.

Synopsis

Maria Sharapova was born on April 19, 1987, in Nyagan, Russia. She started playing tennis at an early age and turned professional at the age of 14. Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004 against Serena Williams and has gone on to win the US Open and Australian Open. In 2012, she won the French Open, becoming the 10th woman to complete a career Grand Slam. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games—Sharapova's Olympic debut—she won a silver medal in women's singles, losing the gold to American tennis star Serena Williams.

Monica Seles

Monica Seles is a former No. 1-ranked women's tennis player with nine Grand Slam titles. She is also an author and speaker, and competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2008.

Tennis Career

By the age of 13, Seles was the No. 1 junior tennis player in the world. At 16, she beat Steffi Graf in the French Open, becoming the youngest person to win the French Open, and spent nearly three years at the top of the game, winning 22 titles. At age 17, she was the youngest player at the time to ever rank No. 1 in the world.