Origins

Early players struck the ball with the palm of the hand, before rackets existed.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Histories trace the game to monks in France, who played against courtyard walls.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Players protected the hand first, and only much later did a strung frame take its place.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

The racket arrived in the early 1500s, after centuries of hand and glove play.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

The 'tenez' origin is the most widely repeated, though historians still debate it.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

As the game spread among the nobility, purpose-built indoor courts appeared.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Lawn tennis borrowed its name and ideas, including the scoring, from the older real tennis.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Each step gave more reach and protection, ending with strings in the 16th century.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Jeu de paume developed into real tennis with rackets, and lawn tennis came in the 1870s.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

A walled indoor court with a sloping roof, the 'penthouse', is the court of real tennis.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · applied

Wingfield introduced and patented his game in 1874.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

He gave it a Greek name meaning roughly 'ball skill'.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

Sphairistike comes from Greek and means something like 'ball skill'.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

Families could buy a box and set up the game on their own lawn.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

The rectangular court came later, when the rules were revised.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Once the patent expired, clubs and players developed the game on their own lines.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

Others were experimenting too, but Wingfield's patent and sets spread the game widely.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

The game was introduced in 1874; in 1877 the patent lapsed and the first Wimbledon took place.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

The boxed set held everything needed to turn a lawn into a court.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · applied

Wingfield's court narrowed at the net; the rectangle came later.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · applied

Real tennis balls hardly bounced on grass; rubber balls did.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

A ball designed for hard indoor floors had too little bounce on grass.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

Croquet lawns were flat and smooth, which suited the new game.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

The All England Croquet Club took up lawn tennis and held the first Championships in 1877.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

The odd 15-30-40 count came across from the older game.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

A lawn, a boxed set and mixed play made it a popular social pastime.

Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, history pages · recall

One popular theory links it to a clock face, but no explanation is proven.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

A bouncing ball was the key that took the game from indoor courts to grass.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

The count runs 15, 30, 40 and then game.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · recall

The rubber ball bounces well on grass; the old stuffed ball does not.

Source: ITF, History of tennis (itftennis.com) · applied

July 1877 saw the first Championships, three years after Wingfield's game appeared.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

Only one event was played in 1877; other events came later.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

Gore beat William Marshall in the final.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

The first Championships drew 22 entrants.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

A small crowd of about 200 paid a shilling to watch.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

Women's singles arrived seven years after the first Championships.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

The first ladies' final was between two sisters, Maud and Lilian Watson.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

1877, 1884 and 1968.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

1874, 1877 and 1884 follow one another.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · applied

1874 is Wingfield's game, 1877 the first Wimbledon and 1884 the first Ladies' Singles.

Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · applied