Tennis Facts

1. Origin of Tennis

• Tennis originated in France in the 12th century, known initially as "jeu de paume," meaning "game of the palm." It was played by striking the ball with the hand until rackets were introduced in the 16th century.

2. The Longest Match Ever

• The longest tennis match in history was played at Wimbledon in 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. It lasted for 11 hours and 5 minutes, spread across three days, with Isner winning 70-68 in the fifth set.

3. The Four Grand Slams

• The four most prestigious tennis tournaments are known as the Grand Slams: the Australian Open, French Open (Roland Garros), Wimbledon, and the US Open. Winning all four in a calendar year is known as a "Grand Slam."

4. Wimbledon Traditions

• Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament, established in 1877. It's known for traditions like players wearing all-white clothing and strawberries and cream being served to spectators.

5. Fastest Serve Ever Recorded

• The fastest recorded serve in tennis history was hit by Sam Groth of Australia at 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h) during a 2012 Challenger event.

6. Scoring System Origins

• Tennis scoring (15, 30, 40) is believed to have originated from a clock face. The game used quarters of 15, but for some reason, the "45" was shortened to "40."

7. Youngest and Oldest Grand Slam Champions

• The youngest Grand Slam singles champion is Martina Hingis, who won the 1997 Australian Open at 16 years and 3 months. The oldest is Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at 37 years and 2 months.

8. Longest Winning Streak

• The longest winning streak in the Open Era belongs to Martina Navratilova, who won 74 consecutive matches in 1984.

9. Golden Slam

• A "Golden Slam" is achieved when a player wins all four Grand Slam titles and the Olympic gold medal in a single calendar year. Steffi Graf is the only player to accomplish this feat, doing so in 1988.

10. Tennis Balls Weren't Always Yellow

• Tennis balls were originally white. The yellow tennis ball was introduced in 1972 to make it more visible on television broadcasts.

11. Tiebreaker Rule Innovation

• The tiebreaker was introduced to tennis in 1970. Before this, matches could go on indefinitely until a player won by two clear games in the deciding set.

12. The Smallest and Largest Venues

• Wimbledon's Centre Court holds 15,000 spectators, while the Australian Open's Rod Laver Arena has a capacity of 14,820. In contrast, some local tournaments can be played on courts with just a few dozen seats.