History of Tennis

Tennis is a very well known sport that has been played for many years bringing joy and competition upon others.  Many people do not know where the sport has came from.  The sport tennis was first called handball, in the 11th and 12th century is when they first created the origins of this sport. They used their hands as "racquets" and a clay ball.  The sport was mainly played in France and by the 13th century they had nearly 1,800 courts in the area.  By the year of 1500, they had invented the wooden stick, known now as a racquet.  In the 1850s, they had created a standardized tennis court and used a rubber ball with racquets.  An indoor game of tennis was played again a wall, known now as racquet ball. In the year of 1874, it was the birth of modern tennis.  The All England Club, started its construction for their project to hold the prestigious Wimbledon Grand Slam grass event.  In 1877, the club had the first Grand Slam.  From then the game of tennis has evolved to where and how the game has became today.  -Caroline A.