Predecessors
Historians believe that the game's ancient origin lay in 12th century northern France, where a ball was struck with the palm of the hand. Louis X of France was a keen player of

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Part of the appeal of tennis stems from the simplicity of equipment required for play. Beginners need only a racket and balls.
Rackets
The components of a tennis racket include a handle, known as the

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Court
Tennis is played on a rectangular, flat surface. The court is 78 feet(23.77 m) long, and 27 feet (8.2 m) wide for singles matches and 36 ft (11 m) for doubles matches. Additional clear space around the court is required in

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In most professional play and some amateur competition, there is an officiating head judge or chair umpire(usually referred to simply

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In tennis, a junior is a player under 18 who is still legally protected by a parent or guardian. Players on the main adult tour who are under 18 must have documents signed by a parent or guardian. These players, however, are still eligible to play in junior tournaments.

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Continuity
A tennis match is intended to be continuous. Because stamina is a relevant factor, arbitrary delays are not permitted. In most cases, service is

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Stance refers to the way a player prepares themselves in order to best be able to return a shot. Essentially, it enables them to move quickly in order to achieve a particular stroke. There are four main stances in modern tennis: open, semi-open, closed, and neutral.

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