History of Tennis

Tennis Founded

Jan 1, 1100

France- Tennis is said to have originated in France sometime during the 12th century. Back then, racquets were not used. Instead, they used their hands in a game called "jeu de paume," which means "palm game." This later developed into the game we know and love. http://www.britannica.com/sports/tennis

First Racquet Developed

Jan 1, 1300

Italy- The first raquets were invented by Italians in the 14th century. They became widely used by the 15th century. Though the early design most closely resembles modern-day squash racquets rather than tennis racquets, it was the beginning of tennis as the racquet sport most people are familiar with. http://tennis.about.com/od/racquetsballsstringing/a/evolmodracquet.htm

First Championship Held at Wimbledon

Jul 9, 1877

London, United Kingdom- This was Wimbledon's inaugural grand slam. This was the first large tournament, even though it only had 22 players enter. It helped to popularize the sport. Today, Wimbledon is one of the most prestigious locations to play tennis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1877_Wimbledon_Championship

United States Tennis Association Founded

May 21, 1881

New York, NY- A national governing body for tennis is founded. Like the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club represents the United Kingdom, the USTA represents a national symbol for the United States. It monitors rules and regulations of tennis in the United States before ITF is founded. http://www.usta.com/Archive/News/Community-Tennis/Volunteers/95424_USTA_History/

First Davis Cup

Aug 8, 1900

Boston, MA- This was the premier of international tennis. Since its creation, it was mostly played in Europe. It was introduced to America in the 19th century, and when an American team challenged a British team at the first Davis Cup, the sport became an international phenomenom. http://www.daviscup.com/en/organisation/davis-cup-history.aspx

International Tennis Federation Founded

Mar 1, 1913

Paris, France- A world governing body for tennis is founded with 15 member nations. The ITF administers and regulates the game, organizes international competition, structures the game, develops the game, and promotes the game. As tennis began to spread around the world, it was necessary to form a body to oversee the game. http://www.itftennis.com/about/organisation/role.aspx

Shorts Debuted

Jun 20, 1932

London, United Kingdom- Henry "Bunny" Austin decided to ditch the traditional tennis trousers for shorts. The shorts added mobility to tennis players. He initiated a fashion revolution in tennis. Today, no one would even think of wearing long pants to play tennis in the summer. http://clay-court-tennis.com/history-of-mens-tennis-fashions/

Open Era

Apr 1, 1968

Bournemouth, United Kingdom- Professional tennis players are allowed to play with ameteurs in Grand Slams. Previously, pros were not allowed to enter in Grand Slams and could only play in smaller tournaments. This opened new opportunities for professional players to earn money and make a career out of tennis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_tennis#Open_Era

Virginia Slims Tournament

Sep 23, 1970

Houston, TX- Arranged by Gladys Heldman, this tournament was the birth of organized women's tennis. For centuries, tennis was a man's sport. After this tournament, people started to take female tennis players seriously. They finally had the funding to showcase their skills as tennis players. Today, women can sometimes be found playing alongside men. http://www.wtatennis.com/scontent/article/2951989/title/about-the-wta

Yellow Ball Used

Jan 1, 1972

London, United Kingdom- As tennis was televised more often, the IFT introduced the new yellow ball. It was easier seen by television viewers than the traditional white ball. Tennis balls are now a brighter, neon yellow, which are even easier to spot. http://www.tennis.com.au/museum/exhibitions/tevolution-australian-tennis-adaptations