TENNIS

Tennis, game played with a racket and a ball by two (as in singles) or four (as in doubles) competitors, on a rectangular court with a net strung between the midpoints of the longer sides of the court. Tennis may be played indoors or outdoors. The game ranks as one of the most popular spectator and participation sports in the world, with fans and competitors in more than 100 countries. Originally called lawn tennis to distinguish it from the sport of court tennis, from which it was derived, the game is now commonly known as tennis.

Although the origins of tennis are not clear, many experts believe tennis, then called lawn tennis, was invented in 1873 by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, a British army officer. Although Wingfield claimed that he modeled the game—which he called Sphairistiké (Greek for “playing at ball”)—after an ancient Greek game, many authorities believe that he adapted the principles of the popular English games of court tennis, squash racquets, and badminton for outdoor play. Early players preferred to call Wingfield’s game tennis-on-the-lawn, or lawn tennis.

The game was introduced to Bermuda in 1873, and from Bermuda was brought to the United States by Mary Ewing Outerbridge of Staten Island, New York. The first game of lawn tennis in the United States was probably played in 1874 on the grounds of the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club.

The first world amateur championships were held at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in Wimbledon, England (men, 1877; women, 1884). By the end of the 19th century, lawn tennis had been introduced into British colonies and other nations throughout the world.

In the United States, local rules and standards for the game varied widely until 1881, when the United States Lawn Tennis Association (now the USTA) was organized to standardize rules and equipment. Under its auspices, play for the annual U.S. singles championships for men began in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1881. The national men’s singles championships continued to take place annually in Newport until 1915, when the competition moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. The national women’s singles matches began in 1887, at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, and continued there until 1921, when they were also brought to Forest Hills.

At the beginning of the 20th century the major international tournaments were Wimbledon and the U.S. championships. Early Wimbledon men’s champions included British players Arthur Gore and brothers Reggie and Laurie Doherty. Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers of England won the women’s title at Wimbledon seven times (1903, 1904, 1906, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914). The U.S. men’s championships were dominated by American William Larned, who won seven times (1901, 1902, 1907-1911). Americans Elisabeth Moore and Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman both won several U.S. women’s championships in the early 1900s, and Norwegian-born Molla Bjurstedt Mallory won eight such titles (1915-1918, 1920-1922, 1926). (Unless noted, all titles referred to in this article are singles titles).

The court is marked with white lines to indicate its dimensions and service areas. The court is 78 ft (23.8 m) long, divided into two equal sides by a net standing 3 ft (0.9 m) high at the center of the court. For singles the court is 27 ft (8.2 m) wide. For doubles the addition of alleys 4.5 ft (1.4 m) wide along the two longer sides increases the width to 36 ft (11 m). (For more detail, see accompanying diagram.) Courts may be made up of grass, clay, asphalt, concrete, wood, artificial grass, or composite materials.

A tennis ball is hollow and composed of inflated rubber covered with a fabric made of wool and artificial fibers. Yellow and white balls are used in tournament competition and are the most common colors, although balls of other colors are manufactured. A standard tennis ball measures between 2.5 and 2.6 in (6.35 and 6.6 cm) in diameter and weighs between 1.98 and 2.1 oz (56 and 59.4 g). Two new sizes of tennis balls were introduced in 2001 with characteristics tailored to specific court surfaces. One of these is termed “fast,” to be used on courts classified as “slow pace” (such as clay courts). The other new type of ball (labeled “slow”) is designed for use on “fast pace” courts (such as grass). Both new types are slightly larger than the standard ball but weigh about the same. 

There is no uniform design of tennis rackets, and their sizes and shapes vary. The general classifications, determined by the size of the racket head, are standard, midsize, oversize, and super oversize. In tournament play, the maximum length of a racket is 29 in (73.7 cm). The maximum width is 12.5 in (31.8 cm). The head of the racket may not exceed a length of 15.5 in (39.4 cm) and a width of 11.5 in (29.2 cm), and it is usually strung with resilient gut or nylon or other synthetic materials. There are no restrictions on weight. Rackets were originally made of wood, but now virtually all rackets are made of materials such as aluminum, graphite, and carbon fiber, which are stronger and lighter than wood. The racket handle is generally covered with a rubber or leather grip. Modern designers have also incorporated vibration-dampening technology and made rackets much more durable. Players usually wear lightweight clothing, traditionally white, and shoes with nonskid rubber soles.