Tennis, a sport enjoyed by millions worldwide. Now, the tennis season revolves around 4 grand slams, the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
Tennis history just isn’t discussed as much as it should be. Tennis’ past is just as rich as Tennis’ future – but how did the sport begin?
The first evidence we have of tennis as a sport is Northern France during the 12th Century. Monks played Tennis over a rope or against a wall in a courtyard.
The sport soon found its way to England, where it became a favourite pastime of the royal families , even King Henry VIII played the game!
The emergence of modern tennis
Major Walter Wingfield is often credited modernising tennis and making it something more familiar to what we know today.
He patented his version in 1874, calling it “A New and Improved Court for Playing the Ancient Game of Tennis”.
Interestingly, Wingfield’s initial version was played on an hourglass-shaped court with a net notably higher than we have today. Recognising the need for standardised rules, the Marylebone Cricket Club stepped in to lay down the foundational rules of tennis.
The sport carved its place in history by being part of the inaugural modern Olympic Games in 1896. In a progressive move, women’s singles and men’s doubles were introduced in the 1900 Olympics. However, post the 1924 Paris Games, tennis took a hiatus from the Olympics, only to make a triumphant return in 1988.
1968 marked the beginning of the Open Era in tennis.
This was a significant move that allowed professionals to compete alongside amateurs. Prior to this, the four Grand Slam tournaments were exclusive to amateur players. The Open Era not only revolutionised tennis but also paved the way for players to earn a livelihood from the sport.
… and later… the women’s professional circuit
The women’s circuit began in 1926 with the world’s number one female player, Suzanne Lenglen, accepting $50,000 for a series of matches.
It wasn’t until 1973 that the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973 was formed – and a historic landmark for tennis.
The iconic “Battle of the Sexes” match in 1973, where Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs, brought unprecedented media attention to women’s tennis and remains a symbol of gender equality in sports.
Only after this match did the journey to both men and women receiving equal prize money begin. The “Battle of the Sexes” match was only the start of Billie Jean King’s catalog of achievements.
There is so much more to cover and so many more stories left for tennis to write.