The History of Tennis 

Tennis is one sport that is highly popular these days. We are all aware of the different rules of the game but just some of us know the history that it has. Contrary to what a lot of people think, one tennis form even existed in Medieval Ages. Real tennis is what we now refer to it. Everything started thanks to France and one ball game that was particularly popular there in the 12th century. The ball was being hit by using your bear hand or a glove. It was the sixteenth century that saw an introduction of the racquet. Rules were also developed then. Real tennis started to be highly popular among royalty.

Although this is something that few people know, we saw the first tennis tour being played in 1571. It was organized thanks to the wishes of King Charles IX. 3 mastering levels appeared for players: apprentice, associate and master. The first tennis rules book appeared in 1599. While in France the game was really popular, in England the popularity began with the reign of Henry VII. He is the one that first built one tennis court, then by James I's reign we already had 14 special courts in London.

By the 17th century this game was really popular in France, Spain, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy, being played mostly by noblemen. English Puritanism did put a stop to development seen in England. Unfortunately, during the reign of Napoleon we saw real tennis being abandoned. During the 18th and then the 19th centuries we saw good news offered from England. That was the moment when we saw the appearance of squash racquets, lawn tennis and racquets, 3 sports that derived from real tennis. Lawn tennis is the one that eventually became that game that we now love and call tennis. Tennis history gained most of its evolution thanks to popularity that was seen amongs nobility in England and France.