Who Invented Tennis and Where Did It Originate?

Tennis is a sport played all around the world and has been growing in popularity in recent years as more people play and watch it on TV. The rules are relatively simple, so anyone can learn how to play fairly quickly, and the equipment needed to play the game can be bought at most sporting goods stores, so there’s little cost to learning how to play tennis. But where did the sport of tennis originate? It’s not as simple as you might think! Let’s take a look at where tennis was invented and who created it!

The Beginning
Tennis was invented in England in the 1870s by Major Walter C. Wingfield as a variation of the game of rackets (a precursor to modern-day lawn tennis) with three major differences: it was played indoors, with five players per side, and without any volleys. The first public match was played at Wimbledon Common on June 9th, 1877.

The Middle Ages
Tennis originated from the French game jeu de paume, which was played with the palm of the hand. The game became popular in England by 1674, and then evolved into real tennis in 1873 when a new frame that could support racquets was invented.

The Modern Era
 In 1968, the Grand Slam tournaments allowed professional players to compete against amateurs, ending the division that had persisted since the dawn of the sport.