Tennis has a long and distinguished history dating back to the 12th century, although the first game was significantly different from today’s modern sport.
Some 60 million adults and children all over the world play tennis in the 21st century. It’s hard to imagine that this global activity began as a fun pastime invented by French monks!
© Ivsanmas / Shutterstock
The evolution of tennis is more than how people play and the rules. It’s also influenced by the tennis court dimensions, which have enjoyed a revolution in their own right.
Read on to find out about the history of tennis and how the modern game has been shaped over the past 900 years.
Origins of tennis
Historians have traced the roots of tennis back to a fun game played by monks in France in the 12th century. They didn’t have rackets, rather hitting the ball with their hands instead, hence the game was called “paume” from the French word meaning “palm”.
Although there was a net, the court was a vastly different shape from the ones we know today. Long and narrow, it measured around 27ft wide and 90ft long.
Paume was played indoors or in the monastery courtyards by two or four players, who hit the ball back and forth across the net.
It wasn’t long before paume spread from the monasteries to the general population of France. It became particularly popular among poorer people, as it could be played just about anywhere, including in the streets and in gardens. Played over a piece of string tied from one side of the playing area to the other if they didn’t have a net, the number of players varied and there could be up to six on each side.
Over time, the players started wearing gloves to hit the ball, but there was no mention of rackets until the 16th century.
Sport of kings
As well as being a game for the masses, tennis also became popular among royalty. The long, thin courts of the 12th century changed shape over time. Constructed in castle courtyards, the available space dictated their dimensions. The game was still different from the one played today.
English King Henry VIII, whose reign began in 1509, was a keen player, which led to more people in Britain embracing the sport. Known as “real tennis” by this time, it had complicated rules. There weren’t any set dimensions for the court, which had four walls and a roof on top.
There were galleries for spectators just below the roof, which was high so players could use the lob shot. The net was 5ft tall at each end, but it sagged to a height of 3ft in the middle. Wooden rackets were used, with strings made of sheep’s intestines. The ball was made of cork and weighed around three ounces.
There were 1,000 new tennis courts in Britain by the end of the reign of Henry VIII in 1547.
Today, a few “real tennis” courts have survived and there are believed to be around 40 worldwide, including one at Hampton Court palace in Richmond upon Thames, London. Built in 1625 at the start of the reign of Charles I, the court has survived at the Grade I listed royal palace for 399 years.
A few people have learned the rules of real tennis and still play, including at Hampton Court.
Standardised court sizes
While tennis was frequently played indoors in years gone by, it gradually transitioned to outdoor courts. When this became the norm and the sport enjoyed a surge in popularity, various tennis court surfaces began to evolve.
The four main types are clay, grass, hard and artificial or “carpet” courts. They each have their own advantages and suit different types of play.
Regardless of the playing surface, regular tennis court maintenance has become a must. Keeping courts in pristine condition when exposed to the elements will minimise injury risks to players.
Every surface offers a unique playing experience, so to enjoy the game and stay safe, tennis court cleaning and lining are crucial.
As well as the shift to outdoor courts leading to new maintenance needs, there was also a move to standardise court dimensions in the 19th century to ensure fair play.
Tennis courts today for singles matches are 78ft long by 27ft wide. When used for doubles matches, the court features an extra 4.5ft on each side, while the service area is 26ft long.
These dimensions were formalised by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, a British Army officer and Welsh inventor, who patented the rules and equipment in 1874.
The rectangular courts used in England for lawn tennis were originally designed to fit in a croquet ground. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club had the first standard rectangular tennis court in Britain, launching the Wimbledon championship in 1877.
Technological advances
While tennis court dimensions have remained the same for 150 years, advances in technology have impacted the sport and it has become faster. Increased physical fitness among players due to modern training regimes and advanced racket technology mean the ball is hit harder and players are covering the court more effectively.
New strategies and tactics are being employed that have changed the game, even though the court remains the same size. Today’s court dimensions and the various playing surfaces mean professional players are more concerned about the strategic placement of shots than our ancestors might have been.
The other major change is in the players’ clothing. In the 19th century, female players had to wear long skirts and corsets, while men wore hats and ties, as this was considered “proper” attire!
Tennis is now a £multi-billion global industry, with four main Grand Slam tournaments on the professional tour including the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
