Tennis, original name lawn tennis, game in In 1877 the club decided to hold a tennis

which two opposing players (singles) or pairs of championship, and a championship

players (doubles) use tautly strung rackets to hit subcommittee of three was appointed.
a ball of specified size, weight, and bounce over
a net on a rectangular court. First Wimbledom Championship

- the first winner of the Wimbledon

Points are awarded to a player or team
whenever the opponent fails to correctly return Championships was Spencer Gore.
the ball within the prescribed dimensions of the U.S Championship
court.
- In 1880 the first U.S. championship was held at
Organized tennis is played according to rules the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club. The
sanctioned by the International Tennis victor was an Englishman, O.E. Woodhouse.
Federation (ITF), the world governing body of
the sport. French Championship

The origins of the game can be traced to a - The first French Championships were
12th–13th-century French handball game called held at the Stade Français in 1891, but it
jeu de paume (“game of the palm”) was an interclub tournament that did
not become truly international until
Tennis originally was known as lawn tennis, and 1925; the French Federation of Lawn
formally still is in Britain, because it was played Tennis was established in 1920.
on grass courts by Victorian gentlemen and
ladies. It is now played on a variety of surfaces. Other National Championship

There has been much dispute over the - Other national championships were
invention of modern tennis, but the officially inaugurated in Canada (1890), South
recognized centennial of the game in 1973 Africa (1891), Spain (1910), Denmark
commemorated its introduction by Major (1921), Egypt (1925), Italy (1930), and
Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. Sweden (1936)
- In 1884 a women’s championship was
first tennis club was established by the introduced at Wimbledon, and
Englishman Harry Gem and several associates in women’s national championships were
Leamington in 1872. held in the United States starting in
Wimbledon 1887.

An important milestone in the history of tennis BASIC TENNIS STROKE

was the decision of the All England Croquet
 Serve- start in every point in a match. It
Club to set aside one of its lawns at Wimbledon
is a only stroke in tennis that a player
for tennis, which soon proved so popular that
has a complete control over therefore,
the club changed its name to the All England
one of the important shots in the
Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.
game. A good serve allows the player
serving to a search some control over
 half the point unfolds this is because The dimensions of the tennis court are 78 x 27
the server gets the first strike and based feet (23.8 x 8.2vmetres) for singles and 78 x 36
on the power spin and shot placement feet (23.8 x 11.0 metres) for doubles. The height
can limit what the returning player can of the net at the centre is 3 feet (0.91 metre),
do and it is supported at each side of the court by
 Forehand Groundstroke- it refers to posts 3.5 feet (1.1 metre) high placed 3 feet
shot perform from the baseline with the outside the court.
rocket held in your dominant hand. For
Tennis was originally called lawn tennis, and
right handed player the forehand
grass courts are still in use, but the most
swings starts on the right side of the
common court materials today are clay,
body continues forward and across your
cement, cushioned asphalt and synthetic
body as you contact the ball and
surfaces. The latter may be hard surface or
finishes on the left side of your arm
artificial grass, materials that have become
 Backhand Groundstroke- start on the
popular for indoor courts along with the
right side of your body moves forward
traditional wood.
and across and ends on the other side
of your body but unlike the forehand Court Dimensions
the backhand is hit of the back of your
non dominant hand to seek the Below are the court dimension of the standard
direction of the stroke tennis court
 Forehand Volley- it is generally played
Singles
closer to the net than other strokes like
the forehand groundstroke a forehand 78 by 27 feet (23.8 by 8.2 metres)
valley is hit with the rocket in your
dominant hand/ right side of your body Doubles
facing a way from your body
78 by 36 feet (23.8 by 11.0 metres)
 Backhand Volley- it is usually hit quiet
close to the net and similar to the single Net and post
back hand the backhand valley is hit
using your dominant arm with the back The height of the net at the centre is 3 feet
of the hand facing away from your body (0.91 metre), and it is supported at each side of
 Overhead smash- where the player the court by posts 3.5 feet (1.1 metre) high
contact the wall with the rocket above placed 3 feet outside the court
with his/her head using a serve light
motion. This shot is commonly referred
to as simply as smash or over head and
the two terms are rechangeable

TENNIS: Facilities and Equipment

The Tennis Court.

 BASIC TENNIS RULE

The Tennis Ball.  Who will serve first

 Fault and Double Fault
A tennis ball consists of a pressurized rubber
 Counting Scores
core covered with high-quality cloth, usually
 In or Out
wool mixed with up to 35 percent nylon. Balls
gradually go soft with use, and in tournament How to start a tennis match?
play they are changed at regular intervals
agreed upon by officials and depending upon - Coin toss, the person who wins the coin
such factors as the court surface toss may elect to serve first or select a
side of the court which he would like to
The ITF specifies that the ball must be yellow or receive his opponents serve
white, between 2.5 and 2.8 inches (6.35 and - The server will continue serving the ball
7.14 cm) in diameter, and between 1.975 and to the receiver until the set has ended.
2.095 ounces (56 and 59.4 grams) in weight. After the set has ended, the receiver
will become the server and serve the
The Tennis Racket.
ball until the next set has ended. This
In 1979 the ITF limited racket length for process is repeated throughout the
professional play to 29 inches (73.7 cm). This match
maximum was applied to nonprofessional play
Fault and Double Fault
in 2000. Maximum racket width is 12.5 inches
(31.75 cm). - The server is given two opportunities
serve the ball within the service court
Nothing in the rules defined the racket until
- When the server fails to get his first set
1981. After an ITF committee had made studies
into the diagonally opposite service
of the so-called “double-strung,” or “spaghetti,”
court, it is called a fault serve
racket, introduced in 1977, which had two
- A double fault is committed if the server
layers of strings that imparted topspin on the
fails to get his second into the
ball, it was banned by the following rule:
diagonally opposite service court and
A racket shall consist of a frame, which may be the receiver will then earn a point
of any material, weight, size or shape and
Take note:
stringing. The stringing must be uniform and
smooth and may be of any material. The strings - If the ball hits the net and falls within
must be alternately interlaced or bonded where the service court, this is called a “net
they cross. The distance between the main serve”, the server will be entitled to re-
and/or cross strings shall not be less than one serve the ball into the service court
quarter of an inch nor more than one-half inch. - For example, if a “net serve” is made on
If there are attachments they must be used only the server’s first serve, the server will
to prevent wear and tear and must not alter the be entitled to re-serve his first serve.
flight of the ball There are no limits to the number of a
“net serves” a player can commit
 - The server should stand before the right
side of the baseline aand serve the ball
diagonally across to the receiver’s right
service court and then proceed to serve
from his left side of the baseline
diagonally across to the receiver’s left
service court

The scoring System

- Counting score in tennis match is some

tricky business, the server’s score is
always announced first before the
receiver’s throughout the game. The
point system of a tennis match is as
follows

No points are scored= Love

 1 point scored= 15 points

 2 points scored= 30 points
 3 points scored= 40 points
 4 points earned= set point (set over)
- For a tennis player to win a game,
he/she must win with at least a two
point lead. If the score is tied at 40 to
40 (what is called as a “Deuce”), a
player must earn two consecutive
points (an “Advantage” point and
“Point”) to win the game. If the player
who has an “Advantage” point loses the
next point, the score will be “Deuce”
once again

In or Out

- In a game of singles, the ball must be hit

within both “SERVICE COURTS”, the
“BACK COURT” and the “ALLEY LINE”
- In a double games, the ball must be hit
within both “SERVICE COURTS”, the
“BACK COURT” and the are between
the “ALLEY LINE” and “SIDE LINE” for a
point to be scored