Games Sports

The origins of tennis can be traced back to an ancient Greek game called sphairistike, but there are two documented roots leading to the modern game of tennis.

One is a game called ‘pelota’, brought to England by a Portuguese merchant, Joao Batista Pereira, who together with his friends to found the first lawn tennis club in the world in 1872.

Meanwhile, in 1874 Major Wingfield patented a similar lawn game that he devised to amuse guests at his garden party in Wales.

By 1881 the demand for competitive tennis became so great that a number of clubs were established in the UK and USA.

Comprehensive rules were published in 1924. These rules have remained almost unchanged since then apart from the addition of the tie-break.

The word tennis, derives from the French ‘tenez’ (from the verb ‘tenir’ meaning to hold) – players would call ‘tenez’ before they served, much like the cry ‘fore’ in golf.

The scoring system of 15/30/40 is thought to have come from the use of a clock-face at the end of the court to keep score – with a quarter turn for each point and the simplification of 45 to 40.

Games format

Players will compete in both a team event and then individual.

All matches will be the best of three sets with a tie-break in each set at 6-6.

The tennis event is being held at the Rhodes Tennis Club, where there is five green-set courts and three clay.