Tennis is an increasingly popular sport in the UK, with the number of people playing having rocketed to a record 5.6 million adults, according to data from Sport England. Almost 900,000 adults play at least twice a month (up from just 755,000 in 2019), while other casual players enjoy a game when they have the time, or on special occasions, such as the summer holidays, or to entertain the kids at half-term.
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The sport’s UK governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association, generates annual revenue of around £108 million, up from £65 million in 2019, thanks to major events on the calendar, such as Wimbledon. In summer 2024, more than 526,000 spectators attended the spectacle on the famous grass courts of the All England Club, where 6,300 employees including ball boys and girls, stewards, umpires, catering staff and various admin staff ensured its smooth running.
Considering its amazing popularity, have you ever wondered who invented tennis? You may be surprised to learn an early version of the much-loved sport dates back to the times of Ancient Egypt in around 3150 BC! Researching the history of tennis takes us on a fascinating journey that begins in the Nile valley of northeast Africa and continues through medieval France, before attracting British royalty.
Origins of tennis
One school of thought is that a very early version of tennis was played around 4,000 years ago by the people of Ancient Egypt. There were no rackets in those days and they used the palm of their hand to hit the ball. Historians have discovered more about their life, including leisure activities, through studying archaeological sites, artifacts, drawings, monuments and translations of old hieroglyphic writings. Some believe the word “racket” is derived from an Arabic word, “rahat” or “raha”, which means “palm of the hand”.
The most popular definition of the birth of tennis is its association with French monks in the 12th century. They were also said to have played a game involving hitting a ball over a net with their hand known as “jeu de paume” – game of the palm. It was played during leisure time in medieval monasteries. During games, the French word “Tenez!” was shouted, meaning “Take this!” as they served. This was said to have evolved into the word “tennis”.
Tennis spreads across Europe
The first book containing a drawing of people playing tennis was the Book of Hours, dating from around 1300. A unique handmade publication found in Cambrai (a French Roman Catholic diocese), it was a book of prayers, psalms and holy verses. What makes this one special is the addition of many drawings in the margins, including two that depict a tennis match. Other humorous sketches show people enjoying leisure activities such as dancing, fishing, cooking, climbing, making music and playing games.
The one-off book was passed down through the centuries and was once owned by the Duke of Savoy, Charles Emmanuel II, in the 17th century, as his family shield was stamped on the cover.
How did tennis arrive in Britain?
Tennis spread from France to Britain largely through the royal family, after French monks taught the aristocracy how to play, this time using rackets rather than their hands. Wealthy families turned their courtyards into tennis courts and there were an estimated 1,800 in France by the early 14th century.
Purpose made gloves were worn to hit the cork ball, which weighed only around three ounces. The first tennis rackets were also made of cork wrapped in string or cloth prior to 1500. The cloth was replaced by leather and strings were fashioned using sheep’s intestines. Now referred to as “real tennis”, the game was different from today’s sport, because players could hit the ball at walls, as well as over the net, making it fast-paced and exciting. Points could be won when the players struck the ball into netted windows located high on the walls. The courts were marked with lines, with a net that was 5ft high at each end, dipping to 3ft in the centre.
One avid player was King Henry VIII, whose interest spurred the construction of courts across Britain during the 16th century. Today, one of the earliest surviving tennis courts, at Hampton Court Palace, was built in 1625.
Birth of modern tennis
The modern game of tennis evolved in the 19th century, largely due to advances in technology, such as US entrepreneur Charles Goodyear’s invention of rubber vulcanisation in 1844. Rubber tennis balls were bouncier than their cork predecessors, creating a much faster game and leading to the founding of lawn tennis, for which new rules were drawn up. The growing popularity of tennis as a competitive sport meant professional court maintenance was required for the faster paced game to keep the playing surfaces in tip-top condition.
The father of modern tennis was inventor and British Army officer Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, of Denbighshire, Wales, who patented his own take on the game, called “sphairistiké”, in 1874. It standardised courts and rackets into the early prototypes of equipment we use today. New rules were drawn up in 1875 that formed the basis of today’s game. There is now a bust of the Major at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum in honour of his invention.
When did Wimbledon tennis start?
The first Wimbledon Tennis Championship took place in 1877 on the hallowed courts of the famous All England Club Croquet, where a new committee was founded to launch the event. The Wimbledon tennis courts have been known as the finest in the world ever since and are maintained by a team of 15 grounds staff, increasing to 28 for the duration of the tournament.
The winner of the 1877 men’s singles was Spencer Gore, who received £12 prize money, the equivalent of £1,409 today. How times have changed when you consider the prize money in 2024 was a staggering £2.7 million, which went to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz!
In 1882, the net was lowered to a standard 3ft all the way across and rule changes permitted overarm serving and introduced the “let” service. Amazingly, they have remained almost the same ever since, other than the launch of the tie-break in 1971.
When did women first play pro tennis?
Women didn’t play tennis professionally until 1926, when women’s number one singles player Suzanne Lenglen, of France, took the sporting world by storm and became a superstar by today’s standards. She could attract massive crowds and was a sporting phenomenon throughout the 1920s.
During the 20th century, tennis evolved into a global multi-billion pound industry. Today, the International Tennis Federation has 199 member countries from all continents.
While Wimbledon will always be famous for its meticulously maintained grass surfaces, the different types of courts tennis players can choose from today also include clay, hard (such as asphalt and concrete) and artificial, including synthetic grass.