Tennis | Rules, History, Prominent Players, & Facts

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class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis">tennis</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/sports/tennis">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref29701"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis#ref29701">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29702"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis#ref29702">Origin and early years</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29704"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Outstanding-players">Outstanding players</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref29705"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Outstanding-players#ref29705">The early 20th century</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref29706"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Outstanding-players#ref29706">The postwar period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29707"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Professional-and-open-tennis">Professional and open tennis</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref230110"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Professional-and-open-tennis#ref230110">The open era</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29708"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Organization-and-tournaments">Organization and tournaments</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref29709"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Play-of-the-game">Play of the game</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29710"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Play-of-the-game#ref29710">Court and equipment</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29711"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Principles-of-play">Principles of play</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref29712"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/sports/tennis/Strategy-and-technique">Strategy and technique</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/tennis">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis/images-videos">Images, Videos & Interactives</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/149370-050-F2F4BEE5/Serena-Williams-US-Open-2004.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/190918" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/149370-004-DAAA52D1/Serena-Williams-US-Open-2004.jpg" alt="Serena Williams" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-050-0BA11B4B/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/217188" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-004-2D9D5258/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg" alt="Roger Federer" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/117077-004-9BAC879B/Dwight-F-Davis.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/113006" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/117077-004-9BAC879B/Dwight-F-Davis.jpg" alt="Dwight F. Davis" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/4392-050-B328F7E3/Suzanne-Lenglen-France-forehand-return-1926.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/3629" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/4392-004-8C01B654/Suzanne-Lenglen-France-forehand-return-1926.jpg" alt="Suzanne Lenglen" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/134695-050-F3FE0D17/Helen-Wills-Moody-1933.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/158332" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/95/134695-004-32CFEFCD/Helen-Wills-Moody-1933.jpg" alt="Helen Wills Moody" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/172237-050-A8B00DF5/Fred-Perry.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/185413" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/37/172237-004-8957D670/Fred-Perry.jpg" alt="Fred Perry" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/46704-004-0E40887D/Don-Budge-1938.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/108818" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/46704-004-0E40887D/Don-Budge-1938.jpg" alt="Don Budge" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/69158-050-46250425/Althea-Gibson-ball-tennis-tournament-Wimbledon-1957.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/59476" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/69158-004-80190184/Althea-Gibson-ball-tennis-tournament-Wimbledon-1957.jpg" alt="Althea Gibson" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/46/65646-050-16EBB2FE/Rod-Laver-1962.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/57216" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/46/65646-004-96DD39BE/Rod-Laver-1962.jpg" alt="Rod Laver" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/192051-050-21FA0892/Maria-Bueno-singles-title-Wimbledon-1964.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/231000" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/51/192051-004-0BBE8B23/Maria-Bueno-singles-title-Wimbledon-1964.jpg" alt="Maria Bueno" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-student-links"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> For Students </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/summary/tennis"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.133.36" class="default " height="200" width="200"/> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/summary/tennis" >tennis summary</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234474-131-7CBD1A96/Serena-Williams-womens-single-trophy-Australian-Open-Januray-28-2017.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz" >Great Moments in Sports Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/sports-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/47/148847-131-607DD61C/Cricket-bat-ball.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/sports-quiz" >Sports Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/i-am-the-greatest-athlete"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/55/235355-131-5EA8CFD4/Usain-Bolt-Jamaica-gold-medal-breaking-world-record-200m-Beijing-Summer-Olympics-August-20-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Usain Bolt of Jamaica reacts after breaking the world record with a time of 19.30 to win the gold medal as Churandy Martina (left) of Netherlands Antilles and Brian Dzingai of Zimbabwe come in after him in the Men's 200m Final at the National Stadium during Day 12 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 20, 2008 in Beijing, China. 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://uscourttennis.org/history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">United States Court Tennis Association - The Royal and Ancient Game of Tennis: A Short History</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.usopen.org/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of the US Open</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.wtatour.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The Official Site of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour - Women's Professional Tennis</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.tennisfame.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The Official Site of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.wimbledon.com/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of Wimbledon</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of Roland Garros</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://ausopen.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of the Australian Open</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/tennis/353847" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tennis - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/tennis/277301" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tennis - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: lawn tennis</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Barry-Steven-Lorge/3469" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Barry Steven Lorge</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Consultant. Former Sports Editor, <i>The San Diego Union, </i>California. Contributor to <i>Tennis Magazine.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Barry Steven Lorge</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Morys-George-Lyndhurst-Bruce-4th-Baron-Aberdare/4" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Morys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Author of <i>The Story of Tennis; Willis Faber Book of Tennis and Rackets.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Morys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-19T00:00:00CST" >Feb 19, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Original name: </dt> <dd>lawn tennis</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Dylan-Alcott" topicid="2208580">Dylan Alcott</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Jannik-Sinner" topicid="2249857">Jannik Sinner</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Iga-Swiatek" topicid="2179715">Iga Świątek</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Guillermo-Vilas" topicid="1312800">Guillermo Vilas</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Carlos-Alcaraz" topicid="2253145">Carlos Alcaraz</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/sports/US-Open-tennis" topicid="617749">U.S. Open</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Wimbledon-Championships" topicid="644881">Wimbledon Championships</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/deck-tennis" topicid="155184">deck tennis</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/Davis-Cup" topicid="152854">Davis Cup</a></dd> <dd><a href="/sports/forehand" topicid="1068903">forehand</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/tennis"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>How is tennis played?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Tennis is a game played with two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) using tautly strung rackets to hit a ball of specified size, weight, and bounce over a net on a rectangular court. Points are awarded whenever the opponent fails to correctly return the ball within the prescribed dimensions of the court." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Who invented the game of tennis?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The inventor of modern tennis has been disputed, but the officially recognized centennial of the game in 1973 commemorated its introduction by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. He published the first book of rules that year and took out a patent on his game in 1874." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What are the dimensions of a tennis court?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "A tennis court length measures 78 by 27 feet for singles and 78 by 36 feet for doubles. The net at the center is 3 feet in height, supported at each side of the court by posts 3.5 feet high placed 3 feet outside the court." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What is the size of a standard tennis ball?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "According to the International Tennis Federation, the tennis ball must be yellow or white, between 2.5 and 2.8 inches in diameter and between 1.975 and 2.095 ounces in weight." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>How is tennis played?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>Tennis is a game played with two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) using tautly strung rackets to hit a ball of specified size, weight, and bounce over a net on a rectangular court. Points are awarded whenever the opponent fails to correctly return the ball within the prescribed dimensions of the court.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Who invented the game of tennis?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The inventor of modern tennis has been disputed, but the officially recognized centennial of the game in 1973 commemorated its introduction by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. He published the first book of rules that year and took out a patent on his game in 1874.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What are the dimensions of a tennis court?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>A tennis court length measures 78 by 27 feet for singles and 78 by 36 feet for doubles. The net at the center is 3 feet in height, supported at each side of the court by posts 3.5 feet high placed 3 feet outside the court.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What is the size of a standard tennis ball?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>According to the International Tennis Federation, the tennis ball must be yellow or white, between 2.5 and 2.8 inches in diameter and between 1.975 and 2.095 ounces in weight.</p></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/587387/438acbb3f86996e912055bc5896fd813" rel="nofollow">Tennis participation grows to more than 25M players in the US even as pickleball's popularity surges</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 19, 2025, 6:00 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref403201"></span>tennis</strong>, game in which two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) use tautly strung <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/rackets" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">rackets</a> to hit a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/ball-sports" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ball</a> of specified size, weight, and bounce over a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/net" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">net</a> on a rectangular court. Points are awarded to a player or team whenever the opponent fails to correctly return the ball within the prescribed <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="dimensions" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/dimensions" data-type="EB">dimensions</a> of the court. Organized tennis is played according to rules sanctioned by the <span id="ref403202"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Tennis-Federation" class="md-crosslink ">International Tennis Federation</a> (ITF), the world governing body of the sport.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em><a href="https://www.britannica.com/story/4-questions-for-tennis-star-naomi-osaka" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">(Read Britannica’s interview with Naomi Osaka.)</a></em></p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Tennis originally was known as lawn tennis, and formally still is in <span id="ref403206"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Britain</a>, because it was played on grass courts by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Victorian-era" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Victorian</a> gentlemen and ladies. It is now played on a variety of surfaces. The origins of the game can be traced to a 12th–13th-century French <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/handball" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">handball</a> game called <em><span id="ref403203"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/real-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">jeu de paume</a></em> (“game of the palm”), from which was derived a complex indoor racket-and-ball game: real tennis. This ancient game is still played to a limited degree and is usually called real tennis in Britain, court tennis in the United States, and royal tennis in Australia.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">(Read Chris Evert’s Britannica entry on the U.S. Open.)</a></em></p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="217188" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-050-0BA11B4B/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/587387/217188"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-050-0BA11B4B/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-050-0BA11B4B/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg?w=300" alt="Roger Federer" data-width="1600" data-height="1111" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/183257-050-0BA11B4B/Roger-Federer-2012.jpg" data-href="/media/1/587387/217188">Roger Federer</a><span>Roger Federer, 2012.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The modern game of tennis is played by millions in clubs and on public courts. Its period of most rapid growth as both a participant and a spectator sport began in the late 1960s, when the major championships were opened to professionals as well as amateurs, and continued in the 1970s, when television broadcasts of the expanding professional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/tournament-medieval-military-games" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">tournament</a> circuits and the rise of some notable players and rivalries broadened the appeal of the game. A number of major <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="innovations" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovations" data-type="MW">innovations</a> in fashion and equipment fueled and fed the boom. The addition of colour and style to tennis wear (once restricted to white) created an entirely new subdivision of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/leisure" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">leisure</a> clothing. Tennis balls, which historically had been white, now came in several hues, with yellow the colour of choice. <span id="ref403204"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/racket" class="md-crosslink ">Racket</a> frames, which had been of a standard size and shape and constructed primarily of laminated wood, were suddenly manufactured in a wide choice of sizes, shapes, and materials, the most significant milestones being the introduction of metal frames beginning in 1967 and the oversized head in 1976.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/great-moments-in-sports-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/74/234474-131-7CBD1A96/Serena-Williams-womens-single-trophy-Australian-Open-Januray-28-2017.jpg" alt="Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Great Moments in Sports Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">While tennis can be enjoyed by players of practically any level of skill, top competition is a demanding test of both shot making and stamina, rich in stylistic and strategic variety. From its origins as a garden-party game for ladies in whalebone corsets and starched petticoats and men in long white flannels, it has evolved into a physical chess match in which players attack and defend, exploiting angles and technical weaknesses with strokes of widely <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="diverse" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diverse" data-type="MW">diverse</a> pace and spin. Tournaments offer tens of millions of dollars in prize money annually.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref29701"> <h2 class="h1">History</h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref29702"> <h2 class="h2">Origin and early years</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">There has been much dispute over the invention of modern tennis, but the officially recognized centennial of the game in 1973 <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="commemorated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorated" data-type="MW">commemorated</a> its introduction by Major <span id="ref403205"></span>Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. He published the first book of rules that year and took out a patent on his game in 1874, although historians have concluded that similar games were played earlier and that the first tennis club was established by the Englishman Harry Gem and several associates in Leamington in 1872. Wingfield’s court was of the hourglass shape and may have developed from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/badminton" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">badminton</a>. The hourglass shape, <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="stipulated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stipulated" data-type="MW">stipulated</a> by Wingfield in his booklet “Sphairistiké, or Lawn Tennis,” may have been adopted for patent reasons since it distinguished the court from ordinary rectangular courts. At the time, the <span id="ref403207"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Marylebone-Cricket-Club" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Marylebone Cricket Club</a> (MCC) was the governing body of real tennis, whose rules it had recently revised. After <span id="ref403208"></span>J.M. Heathcote, a distinguished real tennis player, developed a better tennis ball of rubber covered with white flannel, the MCC in 1875 established a new, standardized set of rules for tennis.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Meanwhile, the game had spread to the United States in the 1870s. Mary Outerbridge of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New York</a> has been <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="credited" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/credited" data-type="EB">credited</a> with bringing a set of rackets and balls to her brother, a director of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Staten-Island" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Staten Island</a> Cricket and Baseball Club. But research has shown that William Appleton of Nahant, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Massachusetts" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Massachusetts</a>, may have owned the first lawn tennis set and that his friends James Dwight and Fred R. Sears popularized the game.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">An important milestone in the history of tennis was the decision of the <span id="ref403209"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/All-England-Croquet-and-Lawn-Tennis-Club" class="md-crosslink ">All England Croquet Club</a> to set aside one of its lawns at <span id="ref403210"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Wimbledon-Championships" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wimbledon</a> for tennis, which soon proved so popular that the club changed its name to the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club. In 1877 the club decided to hold a tennis championship, and a championship subcommittee of three was appointed. It decided on a rectangular court 78 feet (23.8 meters) long by 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide. They adapted the real tennis method of scoring—15, 30, 40, game—and allowed the server one fault (i.e., two chances to deliver a proper service on each point). These major decisions remain part of the modern rules. Twenty-two entries were received, and the first winner of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Wimbledon-Championships" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wimbledon Championships</a> was Spencer <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Gore" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Gore" data-type="EB">Gore</a>. In 1878 the Scottish Championships were held, followed in 1879 by the Irish Championships.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">There were several alterations in some of the other rules (e.g., governing the height of the net) until 1880, when the All England Club and the MCC published revised rules that approximate very closely those still in use. The All England Club was the dominant authority then, the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) not being formed until 1888. In 1880 the first <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. championship</a> was held at the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club. The victor was an Englishman, O.E. Woodhouse. The popularity of the game in the <span id="ref403211"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> and frequent doubts about the rules led to the foundation in 1881 of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association, later renamed the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association and, in 1975, the <span id="ref403212"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-States-Tennis-Association" class="md-crosslink ">U.S. Tennis Association</a> (USTA). Under its <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="auspices" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auspices" data-type="MW">auspices</a>, the first official <span id="ref403213"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. national championship</a>, played under English rules, was held in 1881 at the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Newport-Rhode-Island" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Newport</a> Casino, Newport, Rhode Island. The winner, <span id="ref403214"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Dudley-Sears" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Richard Sears</a>, was U.S. champion for seven consecutive years.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Tennis had taken firm root in <span id="ref403215"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Australia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Australia</a> by 1880, and the first <span id="ref403216"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Australian-Open" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Australian Championships</a> were played in 1905. The first national championships in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Zealand" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">New Zealand</a> were held in 1886. In 1904 the Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia (later of Australia) was founded.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The first <span id="ref403217"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/French-Open" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">French Championships</a> were held at the Stade Français in 1891, but it was an interclub tournament that did not become truly international until 1925; the <span id="ref403218"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/France" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">French</a> Federation of Lawn Tennis was established in 1920. Other national championships were inaugurated in Canada (1890), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">South Africa</a> (1891), Spain (1910), Denmark (1921), Egypt (1925), Italy (1930), and Sweden (1936). In 1884 a women’s championship was introduced at Wimbledon, and women’s national championships were held in the United States starting in 1887.</p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":7,"pageId":587387,"pageLength":1166,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Tennis | Rules, History, Prominent Players, & Facts | Britannica