Tennis probably originated in France; the ball being hit with the palm of the hand. The game was developed into Real Tennis in England and was particularly liked by Henry VIII.
Modern tennis (or lawn tennis) was developed in England from Real Tennis.
Chat with our AI personalities
Tennis as the modern sport can be dated to two separate roots.
Between 1859 and 1865, Major Harry Gem and his friend Augurio Perera developed a game that combined elements of rackets and the Basque ball game pelota, which they played on Perera's croquet lawn in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
In 1872, along with two local doctors, they founded the world's first tennis club in Leamington Spa. The Courier of July 23, 1884 recorded one of the first tennis tournaments, held in the grounds of Shrubland Hall.
Tennis is believed to have originated in medieval France. The game evolved from a sport called jeu de paume, which involved hitting a ball with the hand. Over time, players began using a glove or paddle to strike the ball, eventually transitioning to using a wooden racquet.
The modern game of tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century as lawn tennis and had connections to the ancient game of real tennis.