Incredible facts from the history of tennis

Big Tennis, like many Olympic sports, has an interesting history of formation and development. During professional tournaments, many records were set, and tennis players themselves sometimes became famous in areas far from sports.

Why is tennis called that

Modern dictionaries describe the origin of the word "tennis" Briefly enough. The word comes from the French imperative verb tenez, which means “grab.” There is also an alternative version. "Tennis" comes from the French word tamis, translated – net. However, the second hypothesis is not credible, since grids appeared in the game much later.

Why is tennis called that In Italian manuscripts 12-13 centuries. the game is described as being very similar to tennis, but the ancient author calls it «jidoko». One of the most incredible hypotheses belongs to Malcolm Whitman. In his book «Tennis: Origins and Mysteries» he considers many options for the origin of the word, but settles on a rather controversial conclusion. Whitman recalls that the first mentions of a game similar to tennis are found in sources that relate to the civilization of Ancient Egypt. In the Egyptian city, which the French called de Tennis, they made the best fabric for stuffing balls.

But the word «racket» has Arabic roots. French knights returning from the Crusades brought new expressions to their homeland. One of them is rahat, which means «in the form of a palm.» Transformed, this word turned into racquet and came to Slavic languages in the form of «racket». Tennis equipment was originally made of wood, and game sets were sold only to noble nobles. Today the tennis club "Marina" offers each guest a service – tennis racket rental and tennis court rental.

Who came up with “palm game»

Back in the eleventh century, the game «je de pomme» which translated means «playing with the palm,» became popular in the monasteries of France. This activity is considered the first period in the development of tennis in Europe. The monks, unable to attend entertainment events or fully engage in sports, came up with a simple game that did not require special preparations. On any relatively flat surface (indoors, in the courtyard of a monastery) it was possible to throw the ball from palm to palm of an opponent. Naturally, there were no rubber balls at that time. They used almost any object that vaguely resembled a sphere. It could be a piece of wood, a stone, a cloth bag filled with garbage. The game was a group game; up to 12 people could participate simultaneously. There were no nets, rackets or restrictions within the court.

Who came up with palm gameBut after a hundred years, tennis became the privilege of kings and nobility. History shows that in 13-14 Art. all the reigning monarchs of England, France and Italy were tennis players. Modern athletes who play at MARINA TENNIS CLUB rarely wonder what the sports equipment of the nobility was like in the Middle Ages. Men ran around the tennis court in long doublets and wigs. They were hampered by high-heeled shoes, uncomfortable sleeves, and heavy jewelry. Women had it even worse. The corset squeezed the lungs, and under the skirt it was necessary to wear a special pillow that imitated the curvy figure of a noblewoman. More comfortable clothing appeared only at the end of the 19th century. and in the 30s of the last century, athletes in shorts appeared on the courts.

Tennis world records

There are famous achievements in tennis that almost all fans of the game know about. Tennis in Kyiv, as in many capitals of the world, brings together a variety of people on the courts. For some, it becomes a simple hobby, while others devote their entire lives to it and, even after changing gender, do not change their passion. Tennis player Richard Raskind, taking part in professional competitions, stopped training for some time. He returned to the court under the name Rene Richards, having undergone gender reassignment surgery. Tennis world records

Age-related records belong to tennis players. The oldest athlete to win the Australian Open is from the Czech Republic. This is the legendary Martina Navratilova, who entered the court at the age of 46 and won one of the Grand Slam tournaments. The youngest winner of the prestigious tournament was another Martina, Hingis. A tennis player from Switzerland at the age of 16 was able to win the main prize at the Australian Open.

The titled athlete from Germany Steffi Graf retained the title of first racket for 377 weeks. Besides her, no one could win all four Grand Slam tournaments. Moreover, in each competition she became the winner for 4 years in a row. At the same time, the girl remained very friendly and positive. During one game, a loving spectator proposed to her right from the stands. Stefania managed not to get confused and, without being distracted from the ball, asked the unlucky fan how much money he had.

The length of tennis matches depends on the score and the number of sets. But in tennis there is a record for the duration of one game. During the Wimbledon tournament, two players Nicolas Mahut and John Isner could not determine who was the strongest and continued to play for more than eleven hours. The judges had to interrupt the fight twice because it was getting dark. The shortest match in the history of tennis lasted only 28 minutes. The hot Finnish guy Jarkko Nieminen did not leave a single chance for the athlete from Australia, winning the first set dry. In the second he lost by only one point.

Tennis – game of romantics and playboys

Among the athletes who have connected their lives with professional tennis, there are quite a lot of modest, discreet gentlemen and ladies. But hot blood boils, and relationships are born on the court that can develop into love or strong friendship. Tennis club «Marina» (Kyiv) invites guests and residents of the capital to the professional hard courts, where you can meet like-minded people and make friends.

In the world of tennis, passionate athletes are more known for their victories on the personal front than their achievements on the courts. But there are also exceptions. Tennis player from the Czech Republic Stepanek Radek can boast of two Davis Cups and an Olympic medal. But what made him famous was a series of affairs with famous tennis players. Martina Hingis almost became the athlete's wife, and Nicole Vaidišová was engaged to him. But the loving Czech could not find a worthy companion among his colleagues and he became interested in ladies from the modeling business.

Tennis player Grigor Dimitrov was haunted by Casanova's laurels from a young age. Even before he came of age, he began an affair with a tennis player from Slovakia, and literally a year later he switched to his compatriot from Bulgaria. They say that at the age of 21, Grigor managed to win the favor of Serena Williams herself. But a few months later he confirmed that he was in a relationship with Maria Sharapova. Then interest in the athletes faded and Dimitrov began dating a singer from the USA.