The History Of Tennis

Now there is no real certainty as to who invented the tennis. But the most likely version is that the game was the ancestor of Major Wingfield Walton. It is conceived as a tennis fun for guests at receptions at the mansion in Wales. In 1873 were published and the first rules of the game. The basis Wingfield took the game real-tennis, which by then was already widespread in the circles of French aristocracy. 

From historical sources we know that modern tennis terminology appeared in the same period of time as Wingfield borrowed for his game is not just a name, but a lot of French words: Tennis (from Fr. Tenez, commandeth. Form of the verb tenir, «hold"). It means, therefore, "Hold!" This cry in real-player tennis warned opponents that he was going to serve; Bat (from Fr. Raquette) - means "hand";Deuce (derived from the Fr. Deux le jeu, meaning «to both is the game») - is equal to the expense of the game; Engl. love, used to refer to the account of "0" (for example, "40-love» is equivalent to "40-0") comes from Fr. l'oeuf, “the egg," an implicit "zero" in the shape of an egg; counting system in a game of "15", "30", "40" took place from Fr. quinze, trente, quarante, that the French pronunciation is consonant with consistency. In anticipation of fame and the possibility of commercial gain, Wingfield patentedtennis in 1874, but no benefit from it later could not get. Tennis began his fleeting development in the UK and the USA. 

In July, 1877 in Wimbledon, London hosted the first tournament of lawn tennis, was the organizer of the All England Croquet Club and Lawn Tennis (All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club). Participants were required to pay an entrance fee of £ 1 (British pound), the tournament was open to all comers, the winner received a gold award and a finalist- the silver. 

In 1888 founded the Association of Lawn Tennis (Lawn Tennis Association, LTA), which subsequently established 43 rules, many of them are still valid. For 10 years, this association adopted a 73 tournaments. In 1881 established the National Lawn Tennis Association of the USA (United States National Lawn Tennis Association), which is now called the Association of Tennis USA (United States Tennis Association, USTA). 

Its aim was the standardization of competition rules and conduct tournaments. U.S. National Championships for men (US National Men's Singles Championship), which is now called the U.S. Open, was first held in 1881 in Newport, Rhode Island. The corresponding women's tournament, "U.S. National Championships in women” (US National Women's Singles Championships) was first held in 1887. In 1899, four students at Harvard University, conceived the idea of a tennis tournament involving national teams. One of them -Dwight Davis, developed a scheme for the tournament and boughthis own money for the winner of the prize - a silver goblet. The first tournament was held in Brooklyn, ea. Massachusetts in 1900, and was attended by teams of U.S. and UK. 

D. Davis, the team played in the U.S., which unexpectedly won by winning the first three games. Since then, the tournament was held every year (with some exceptions), and after the death of J. Davis in 1945 was named the Davis Cup and is now a popular annual event in the world of tennis. 

Beginning in the 1920s, professional tennis players to earn money, speaking in exhibition matches before the public, which paid for the right to watch the game. For 40 years, professional and amateur tennis were strictly separated - as soon asthe player became a "professional", he had no more right to act in amateurtournaments. But in 1967, LTA has decided to end the division of tennis and the same rights asprofessionals and amateurs in their tournaments. In 1968, the International Tennis Federation, overcoming reluctance, approved the equal rights of players. This marked the beginning of the Open era in tennis today, when all players havethe right to act in any tournament, and the best tennis players of his life to ensure performance in the contests. 

Tennis for a long period was mainly distributed in Australia, UK, USA, France (1891 French Open is held). The four biggest tournaments - Wimbledon, U.S. Open, French Open and Australian Open (held since 1905) became the most prestigious tennis. Oh merged into a single name - "Grand Slam tournaments" - a term borrowed from the card game bridge. To win the Grand Slam, then win all 4 tournaments in a season - the ultimate goal for professional tennis. In 1954 James Van Alen founded the International Gallery of Honor Tennis (International Tennis Hall of Fame)? It is located g.Nyuport, Rhode Island, where the first Open Championship was held the U.S. Open in 1881. In the gallery a lot of exhibits depicting the history of tennis, as well as the gallery ofthe great tennis players and people who contributed to the development of sports.In 1986 the gallery has been officially recognized by the International Tennis Federation.