Tennis: history, rules and fun facts

Why take an interest in Tennis ?

Tennis is one of the most widely played sports in the world. More than 60 million people play it across every continent, from the clay courts of Paris to the hard courts of Tokyo. Yet many people have never really taken the time to learn more about it.

And that’s a shame, because tennis is much more than simply hitting a ball over a net.

It is a sport of strategy, where every point is built like a game of chess. It is a sport of technique, where the way you hold your racket can make all the difference. Above all, it is a sport of self-improvement, accessible to people of all ages, from a 7-year-old beginner to a 70-year-old senior.

👉 In this article, you will discover:

The fascinating history of tennis
A few fun facts about Tennis
And most importantly a clear and simple overview of the rules to help you understand how the sport is played

From real tennis to modern courts

Tennis did not begin with the rackets we know today. Its origins date back to the 12th century in France, with a game known as jeu de paume. Monks would hit a ball with their hands, and later with gloves, inside covered courts. The very name “tennis” is believed to come from the French word “tenez!” (“take this!”), shouted before each serve.

The game quickly became a national passion. French kings were fascinated by it. King Francis I was known for playing enthusiastically. By the 16th century, Paris was home to more than 1,800 jeu de paume courts.

The Birth of Modern Tennis

It was not until 1873 that tennis began to resemble the sport we know today. A Welsh officer named Walter Clopton Wingfield patented a game played outdoors on grass, using rackets and a net. He called it “Sphairistike,” an unpronounceable Greek name that was soon replaced by simply tennis.

The following year, in 1874, the game arrived in the United States. In 1877, the very first official tournament was held at Wimbledon, England. Modern tennis was born.

The Rise of Major Tournaments

The sport’s major competitions quickly took shape. The US Open was established in 1881, Roland-Garros in 1891, and the Australian Open in 1905. Together with Wimbledon, these events form the four Grand Slam tournaments, the most prestigious competitions in world tennis.

In 1900, the Davis Cup was created to allow nations to compete against one another. It remains one of the oldest team competitions still in existence today.

Worldwide Popularity

For many years, tennis was reserved for a social elite, but it became accessible to the general public during the 1960s and 1970s. The Open Era began in 1968, allowing professional players to compete in major tournaments.

Stars such as Björn Borg, John McEnroe, and Martina Navratilova emerged and helped bring tennis to television audiences around the world.

Today, players like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Carlos Alcaraz have made tennis one of the most widely followed sports in the world.

4 fun facts about tennis

Why 15, 30… and 40 ?

The tennis scoring system intrigues everyone. Why 15, 30, 40 instead of 1, 2, 3? The most widely accepted explanation dates back to the Middle Ages. A clock divided into four quarters of 15 minutes may have been used to keep track of points. However, the third quarter, which would have been 45, was likely shortened to 40 to make it easier to announce the next stage of the game, the “game”.

Services exceeding 260 km/h

The serve is the ultimate weapon for professional players. The world record belongs to Australian player Sam Groth, who hit a serve at 263.4 km/h in 2012. To put things into perspective: that’s faster than a car on a highway.

Wimbledon’s unusual traditions

Wimbledon is the oldest and most traditional tennis tournament in the world. Players are required to wear all-white clothing, a strict rule that is still enforced today. The tournament is also famous for serving more than 28,000 portions of strawberries and cream every year — an iconic British tradition that has become inseparable from the event.

The longest match in history

In 2010, at Wimbledon, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the longest match in tennis history. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes, spread over three days. The fifth set alone ended with the incredible score of 70–68. At the time, there was no tie-break rule in place for that stage of the match.

Tennis in practice

OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME AND COMPETITIONS

The objective of tennis is simple: make the ball land in your opponent’s court without them being able to return it. Each player uses a racket to hit the ball over a central net.

Players compete in singles (one against one) or doubles (two against two). There is also mixed doubles, with one man and one woman on each side.

The main international competitions are:

• The 4 Grand Slam tournaments: Roland-Garros (clay), Wimbledon (grass), the US Open (hard court), and the Australian Open (hard court)

• The ATP / WTA Finals, reserved for the best players of the season

• The Davis Cup (men) and the Billie Jean King Cup (women), which are national team competitions

MAIN RULES

Tennis is based on a three-level scoring system:

• The point: the basic unit — 0, 15, 30, 40, game

• The game: a player wins a game by scoring 4 points (with a 2-point advantage in case of a 40–40 tie, called “deuce” or “égalité”)

• The set: a set is won by winning 6 games, with at least a 2-game difference (or a tiebreak at 6–6 in most cases)

• The match: depending on the tournament, matches are played as best of 3 sets or best of 5 sets

The serve starts each point. The player has two attempts. If both serves land outside the service box, it is a double fault, and the point is lost.

The most common faults include hitting the ball into the net, hitting it out of bounds, or letting it bounce twice before returning it.

COURT AND EQUIPMENT

The tennis court measures 23.77 meters long and 8.23 meters wide in singles (10.97 meters in doubles). A net standing at 91 cm high divides the two sides of the court.

There are four main court surfaces:

• Clay court (e.g., Roland-Garros): slow game, high bounce

• Grass court (e.g., Wimbledon): fast game, low bounce

• Hard court (e.g., US Open, Australian Open): medium-speed surface

• Synthetic courts (indoor or outdoor): rarely used in major tournaments

The racket is made of a frame (often graphite) and tightly strung strings. Its weight ranges from 270 to 340 grams, depending on player preference.

The tennis ball is yellow, hollow, covered in felt, and measures between 6.35 and 6.67 cm in diameter. It is pressurized to ensure a consistent bounce.

For beginners, the basic equipment remains accessible: an entry-level racket, proper tennis shoes (with surface-appropriate soles), comfortable sportswear, and a few balls.

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