History of Tenis

Brianda Arantxa LopezGarcia 10/01/2012.
Writing 100 Informative Essay
History of Tennis

Most people are somewhat aware of the diverse array of sports that are played around the world. This awareness was probably attained firsthand, through actually playing these sports or observing these sports being played. This is because sports have somehow worked their way into our hearts, by bringing people from different backgrounds together to work towards to common goal, whether the goal is staying fit, playing competitively or just having fun. However, most people just enjoy these sports without really taking the time to appreciate them and ask questions about them. One question that could be asked is; how did these sports originate? Each sport has its history, but today I will specifically talk about one; Tennis. In my opinion, Tennis is one of the most fascinating sports. Once, during a conversation with my friends, I was flabbergasted when I made a shocking discovery: some people find it boring! My hypothesis is that this lack of appreciation is caused by a lack of information, which is what inspired me to do this essay. I want to remedy ignorance that causes so many to neglect a truly inspirational sport. Historians believe that this sport was born in 12th century France. The whole thing started with a game named “jeu de paume,” during which a ball was struck with the palm of the hand. The first person who started playing the game was Louis V. He is considered the father of modern indoor tennis courts, a design that became widespread across royal palaces throughout Europe.
Apparently, when it was newly invented, tennis was only played by royal families. It was not until the 16th century, when rackets were introduced, that the game began to be called "tennis", from the Old French term “Tenez”, which means "hold!," "receive!" or "take!". It was popular in England and France, although the game was only played indoors.
In December 1873, Walter Clopton Wingfield designed and patented a similar game called “sphairistike”, which began simply being called “Sticky” in the United Kingdom. He popularized this game enormously; He produced a boxed set which included a net, poles, rackets, balls and most importantly he constructed the rules. He was skillful at marketing, and successfully had his game being sold all over the world. Also, his connections with the clergy, legal professionals, and the aristocracy were very useful in the distribution of his game; he sent thousands of sets around the world during the first year of the game’s debut. The first known tennis tournament was The Wimbledon Tournament, an annual occasion which took place in London; which people still participate in during present times. Furthermore, the first tennis court in North America was created in 1874 at the Staten Island Cricket Club in Tompkinsville, New York.
Today tennis and its rules are intricately developed so that there is minimum confusion about how it should be played and what should happen in different situations. For many years, the rules were changed constantly, however, since they are significantly clearer, there is no present need for them to be altered. Times have changed, and playing this game is no longer a symbol of wealth and privilege; just about anyone with the will to try something new can play it if they so desire. The history of Tennis is very complex and riveting at the same time: if it wasn’t, the game probably wouldn’t still be in existence.