| > | | | | 1500s the first frame racket with the strings made of |
| The origins of any game of racket and ball including | | | | sheep guts was created. |
| tennis are traditionally credited to 11th or 12th century | | | | Walter Clopton Wingfield is usually given credit for the |
| French game paume which was played with the hand | | | | invention of modern tennis. He actually patented the |
| and later advanced into jeu be paume with the use of | | | | game in 1874, pronounced a new set of rules and |
| rackets. The origins of any game of racket and ball | | | | moved tennis from indoors to outdoors. The same |
| including tennis are traditionally credited to 11th or 12th | | | | year first tennis courts appeared in the United States, |
| century French game paume which was played with | | | | and shortly after that in Russia, India, Canada and |
| the hand and later advanced into jeu be paume with | | | | China. |
| the use of rackets. However, not all historians agree | | | | The first tennis championship was held in 1877 in |
| on this, there is a theory that the word tennis comes | | | | Wimbledon, and is still considered the most prestigious |
| from the name of Tinnis, a town in ancient Egypt, and | | | | one. US Open came into being a while later in 1881. |
| the word racket — from rahat, meaning palm | | | | Now there are four Grand Slam tennis tournaments: |
| of the hand’ in Arabic. It is believed that different | | | | US Open, French Open, Australian Open and |
| versions of the game were played in ancient Egypt, | | | | Wimbledon. The US Open tennis tournament was |
| Rome and Greece, although there is no additional | | | | borne from two distinct tournaments -- US National |
| evidence to that. | | | | Singles Championship for men and US |
| Tennis rackets and balls, as we know them today, | | | | Women’s National Singles Championship, which |
| weren’t invented overnight either. In the 13th | | | | were combined and renamed into US Open in 1968. |
| century bare hands were found too uncomfortable, | | | | Since then tennis has become a huge commercial and |
| and players started using a glove, then a wooden | | | | entertaining event with tournament tickets for the |
| paddle, and eventually a paddle with a handle. Only in | | | | public and various sponsors and advertisers. |