Interested in learning some fun and interesting facts about the game of tennis? If so, you’re in luck as our team has gathered a list of 101 tennis facts and stats, guaranteed to be a good few that are new to even the game’s most seasoned players. Enjoy!
101 Fun Facts & Statistics About Tennis
Without further ado, here are the facts. Be sure to leave comments and questions using the form below.
#1 Tennis dates back to 12th century France
Historians think the game originated in northern France in the 12th century, when a ball was struck with the palm of the hand. Louis X of France was an avid player of jeu de paume (“game of the palm”), which evolved into actual tennis, and is credited with being the first to build modern indoor tennis courts.
Because Louis disliked playing tennis outside, he had indoor, covered courts built in Paris near the end of the 13th century.[1]
#2 Only two major rules changes since the 19th century
Since the 1890s, the rules of contemporary tennis have remained mostly unchanged. The server was required to maintain one foot on the ground at all times until 1961 and the tiebreak was adopted in the 1970s.
Electronic review equipment combined with a point-challenge system, known as Hawk-Eye, is a new innovation to professional tennis. It enables a player to argue the line call of a point.[1]
#3 Tennis balls were originally made with feathers wrapped in strips of cloth
Originally, tennis balls were constructed of textile strips, sewn together with thread, and filled with feathers. Modern tennis balls are comprised of felt-coated hollow vulcanized rubber. Originally white, the prevailing color was progressively altered to optic yellow in the late 20th century to increase visibility.[1]
#4 Singles play tennis on a 27-foot wide court and doubles on 36 feet
Tennis is a sport that takes place on a rectangular, flat surface. For singles matches, the court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long and 27 feet (8.2 m) wide; for doubles matches, it is 36 feet (11 m). In order for players to reach overrun balls, there is additional open space surrounding the court.[1]
#5 The oldest tennis court in the world is still played on today
Between 1526 and 1529, Cardinal Wolsey had the first tennis court erected at Hampton Court Palace.
Henry VIII was a brilliant tennis player when he was younger, spending hours on the court. When his second wife Anne Boleyn was seized and transported to the Tower of London, she was betting on a game of tennis. She even complained about not being able to receive her prize!
Since 1625, when this one was erected for Charles I, there has been a tennis court on this spot. Three of the court’s current walls date from the 17th century, while the fourth was built by Cardinal Wolsey himself.[2]
#6 A clock face is believed to be the inspiration for tennis’ scoring system
It’s been suggested that clock faces were used to keep score on the court, with a quarter motion of the minute hand indicating a score of 15, 30, or 45. The game ended when the hand reached 60.
The concept of “deuce” was added to guarantee that the game could not be won by a one-point differential in player scores. The 45 was altered to 40 to keep the score inside the “60” ticks on the clock face. As a result, if both players have 40 points, the first person to score receives 10 points, bringing the clock to 50. If the player scores a second time before the opponent, they are rewarded with an additional 10 points and the clock is reset to 60 seconds.
The number 60 denotes the finish of the game. If a player fails to score twice in a row, the clock will reset to 40 and a new “deuce” will be established.[3]
#7 In 1972, yellow tennis balls were introduced for the first time
Historically, balls were either black or white, depending on the color of the court’s backdrop. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) incorporated yellow tennis balls into the rules of tennis in 1972, after studies shown that these balls were more visible to television viewers.
Wimbledon maintained using the original white ball until 1986, when it switched to yellow balls.[4]
#8 163.4 mph (263 km/h) is the fastest known serve in tennis
During an ATP Challenger tournament in Busan, South Korea on May 9, 2012, Samuel Groth (Australia) served an ace at a speed of 163.4 mph (263 km/h).
Groth was up against Uladzimir Ignatik in the second round when he received the serve (Belarus). Groth hit serves of 158.9 mph (255.7 km/h) and 157.5 mph (253.5 km/h) during the match, both of which broke Ivo Karlovic’s (Croatia) previous record of 156 mph (251 km/h). Groth, however, lost the match 6-4, 6-3.[5]
#9 131 mph (210.8 km/h) is the fastest tennis serve by a female
On the 29th of July 2014, Sabine Lisicki (Germany) registered 131 mph (210.8 km/h) on a speed gun while serving in the first set of a first-round match against Ana Ivanovic at Stanford University in California.
Venus Williams’ (USA) 129-mph (207.6-km/h) serve against Ashley Harkleroad in the second round of the 2007 US Open was previously the fastest serve by a woman on the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) circuit.
The WTA didn’t accept Brenda Schultz-(Netherlands) McCarthy’s 130-mph (209.2-km/h) serve in qualification for the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2006 since it occurred outside of the main competition.[6]
#10 $37,724 is how much the world’s most expensive tennis racket sold for
In June 1997, a Slazenger lawn tennis racket used by Fred Perry at Wimbledon sold for $37,724 at Christie’s in London.[7]
#11 Arthur Ashe is the first black player to win singles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was an American professional tennis player who won three Grand Slam singles championships.
He began playing tennis at the age of six. He was the first black player to be picked for the US Davis Cup team, and he is the only black man to have won the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He retired in 1980 and died in 1993 at just 49 years old.[8]
#12 Three miles is about the distance run after two tennis sets
According to TribeSports.com, tennis players run approximately three miles during a two-set match. Soccer players run about seven miles per match and field hockey players about 5.6 miles; however, given the size of a tennis court (78 x 36 feet), that’s a lot of back and forth movement with more rigorous sprinting.[9]
#13 A 160-pound person burns about 441 calories per hour of playing tennis
According to Healthstatus.com, one hour of tennis burns an average of 441 calories for a 160-pound individual.
Tennis is an efficient calorie burner as you’re rushing after shots, sustaining extended rallies, and jogging in place between points.[9]
#14 Venus and Serena Williams were the first sisters in tennis history to win Olympic gold medals
The Williams sisters were the first sisters to win an Olympic doubles gold medal in tennis on September 28, 2000, a feat they repeated in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.[10]
#15 Wheelchair tennis was created in California in 1976 by Brad Parks
After former acrobatic skier Brad Parks was paralyzed in a skiing accident in 1976, wheelchair tennis was born in California.
While in recovery, Parks began experimenting with striking tennis balls from his wheelchair, eventually joining forces with physical therapist Jeff Minnebraker to create and promote the sport in the United States. It is now one of the most popular wheelchair sports in the world.[11]
#16 Eight hours, 11 minutes is how long the longest tennis match took
The Isner–Mahut match at the 2010 Wimbledon Championships holds the record for being the longest tennis match ever. It was a first-round Men’s singles match between John Isner, the 23rd seed from the United States, and Nicolas Mahut, a French qualifier.
On Tuesday, June 22, 2010, at 6:13 p.m. (British Summer Time), the match started on Court 18 at Wimbledon. Play was delayed at 9:07 p.m. owing to decreasing daylight before the start of the fifth set. The record for the longest match was broken at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23rd, after the play resumed at 2:05 p.m.
Play resumed until the final set was knotted at 59 games each, at which time the light disappeared again, and play was once again paused at 9:09 p.m. On Thursday, June 24, play began at 3:40 p.m., and Isner finally won the match at 4:47 p.m., with the final set lasting Eight hours and 11 minutes.[12]
#17 Tennis took a 64-year hiatus from the Olympic games
Tennis has a lengthy Olympic history. It was dropped from the competition in 1924 and wasn’t until 1988 that it was reinstated as a medal sport.
Professionals are now allowed to participate, and men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles are among the Olympic events.[13]
#18 Tennis went international in 1913
Lawn tennis was gaining popularity across the globe in 1913. As a result, it appeared appropriate for the existing National Tennis Associations to band together to guarantee that the game was organized consistently.
In Paris, a 12-nation international congress was convened, and the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) was founded.[13]
#19 USA Wheelchair Tennis holds the most World Team Cups at nine
Since 1985, the World Team Cup for wheelchair tennis has been held yearly. The United States has won the men’s competition a total of nine times, from 1985 through 1991, 1995, and 1997.[14]
#20 The Australian Open came to be in 1905
Because it is the first of the four events, the Australian Open takes priority over the other four Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open dates back to 1905, when it was first held at Melbourne’s Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground.[15]
#21 The Stade Français hosted the inaugural French national championships (French Open) in 1891
Women’s singles matches were introduced to tournament play in 1897. Women’s doubles competitions were introduced to the championships in 1925, the same year that non-French players were allowed to compete.
In 1968, the competition, along with a number of other well-known tournaments, was expanded to both professional and amateur players. In 1928, the tournament was transferred to the Stade Roland-Garros, which has clay courts. The French Open usually takes place in late May or early June.[16]
#22 The first Wimbledon tournament took place in 1877
The tournament, which takes place in late June and early July, is one of four annual “Grand Slam” tennis events—the others being the Australian, French, and United States Opens—and the only one still played on natural grass.
The inaugural Wimbledon tournament was contested in 1877 on one of the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club’s croquet fields (since 1882 the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club).
Wimbledon added a women’s championship in 1884, and the national men’s doubles was moved there from Oxford. In 1913, mixed doubles and women’s doubles were introduced.[17]
#23 In 1881, the US Championships (US Open) debuted in Newport, Rhode Island
The US Open begins on the final Monday in August and runs for two weeks, with the middle weekend falling on Labor Day weekend in the United States.
The tournament, originally known as the U.S. National Championship, is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world, with men’s singles and men’s doubles being played for the first time in August 1881.[18]
#24 In 2017, nearly 18 million people played tennis in the United States
This statistic depicts the number of tennis players in the United States in 2017. Tennis has roughly 17.68 million participants (aged six and over) in 2017.[19]
#25 In 2020, 5.8 percent of U.S. children aged six to 12 played tennis
In 2020, the percentage of children aged six to 12 who play tennis on a regular basis in the United States is shown. In 2019, 4.3 percent of youngsters played tennis on a regular basis, according to the source.[20]
#26 As of 2021, six percent of adults considered themselves avid fans of the ATP Tour
As of September 2021, findings of a study on the degree of interest in the ATP Tour, the professional men’s tennis circuit, among people in the United States is six percent of those who responded to the study said they were big fans of the ATP Tour. 11 percent of adults consider themselves casual fans.[21]
#27 30- to 49-year olds is the largest segment (9.54 percent) of viewers of the French Open in 2018
As of 2018, this statistic shows the percentage of viewers that watched the men’s final of the French Open in the previous 12 months, broken down by age. In that year, 9.01 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 said they had seen the French Open men’s final in the previous 12 months were 8.25 percent of viewers are 50- to 60-year olds.[22]
#28 51 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 say they are unlikely to watch Wimbledon
As of June 2018, the graph depicts the results of a study on Wimbledon interest among individuals in the United States, broken down by age. During the study, 51 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 said they were unlikely to watch Wimbledon.[23]
#29 As of 2022, Novak Djokovic is the highest-rated ATP player based on ranking points
Novak Djokovic was the top player in the ATP rankings with 8,875 points as of February 2022.
The Serbian tennis player has won 20 Grand Slam men’s singles championships and 86 ATP singles titles in total throughout his professional career, including nine Australian Open wins and a record 37 Masters 1000 events.
On the new ATP Circuit, he is the only player to have won all four Grand Slam titles, all nine ATP Masters events, and the ATP Finals.[24]
#30 As of 2021, Ashleigh Barty is the highest-rated WTA player based on ranking points
The top five female tennis players in the world according to the WTA Ranking as of September 2021 are shown in this graph. With 10,075 points, Ashleigh Barty of Australia is the top-ranked player.[25]
#31 As of 2021, Novak Djokovic has the longest match winning streak in men’s tennis at 43
From 1990 until 2021, this graph depicts the longest victory streaks in professional tennis. In 2010 and 2011, Novak Djokovic has the longest recent victory run in the top ten, winning 43 matches in a row.[26]
#32 As of December 2021, Novak Djokovic is the ATP tennis player with the most career prize money at approximately $155 million
On the ATP tennis World Tour, Novak Djokovic has the most prize money earned throughout his career. With more than 154 million dollars in prize money, he is one of just three men’s professional tennis players who have earned more than 100 million dollars in prize money.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the only other two players. Following his ninth Australian Open championship in 2021, as well as his sixth Wimbledon Championship and second French Open triumph, Djokovic leads the way in prize money winnings in 2021, with about 7.5 million dollars.[27]
#33 As of 2018, Rafael Nadal is the tennis player with the most Twitter followers at 15.5 million
As of June 2018, this statistic shows the most-followed tennis players on Twitter. Rafael Nadal, a Spanish tennis star, was rated number one with about 15.5 million Twitter followers at the time.[28]
#34 Rafael Nadal has the most Grand Slam tournament wins at 21 (as of 2022)
Rafael Nadal, a legendary Spanish tennis player, holds the record for most Grand Slam tennis championships won by professional male tennis players.
Throughout his career, Nadal has constantly been among the top male tennis players in the ATP Rankings, winning his record 21st Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open in 2022.[29]
#35 Novak Djokovic has the most Australian Open tennis tournaments wins at 9 (from 1968 to 2022)
Since the Open era began in 1968, Novak Djokovic is the male professional tennis players (active or retired) who won the Australian Open championships the most times. Novak Djokovic has won the Australian Open nine times, which is a record.[30]
#36 Rafael Nadal holds the most men’s singles French Open titles at 13 (from 1968 to 2021)
Since the Open Era began in 1968, the statistic ranks male professional tennis players (active or retired) by the number of French Open championships they have won. Rafael Nadal holds a record 13 French Open titles, the most recent being in 2020, when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final.[31]
#37 Roger Federer has the most men’s singles Wimbledon titles at 8 (from 1968 to 2021)
From 1968 until 2021, Roger Federer, a well-known Swiss tennis player, holds the record for the most Wimbledon tennis championships won by a professional male tennis player. Federer won his record-equaling eighth Wimbledon title in 2017 and has been among the top male tennis players in the ATP Rankings throughout his career. Pete Sampras has won the second most Wimbledon tennis championships, with seven victories, as of 2021.[32]
#38 Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer, and Pete Sampras are tied for the most men’s singles US Open wins with five each (from 1968 to 2021)
Since the Open Era began in 1968, the statistic ranks male professional tennis players (active and retired) by the number of US Open championships they have won. The US Open has been won five times by Roger Federer. Throughout his career, he has continuously placed among the best tennis players in the ATP Rankings.[33]
#39 Serena Williams has the most women’s Grand Slam tournament titles at 23 as of 2021
Serena Williams holds the most Grand Slam titles of any player in history, having won 23 Grand Slam tournaments in her career. After her victory at the 2017 Australian Open, in which she defeated her sister, Venus Williams, in the final, she moved ahead of Steffi Graf to claim the overall lead in the rankings.
Serena Williams is without a doubt one of the greatest female tennis players ever. Seven of her 23 Grand Slam championships have come in the Australian Open and Wimbledon, respectively. She is one of just two female players in the Open Era to have won each of the major events three times or more, with six triumphs at the US Open and three at the French Open. Steffi Graf, who holds the record for the most weeks at number one in the WTA rankings, is the only other woman to have joined her in that select group.[34]
#40 Serena Williams holds the title for most women’s singles Australian Open wins (from 1968 to 2022)
Since the Open Era began in 1968, the statistic ranks female professional tennis players (active and retired) by the number of Australian Open championships they have won. Serena Williams has seven Australian Open titles on her credit.[35]
#41 Chris Evert has the most women’s singles French Open wins (from 1968 to 2021)
Since the Open Era began in 1968, the statistic ranks female professional tennis players (active and retired) by the number of French Open championships they have won. Between 1987 and 1999, Steffi Graf won the French Open six times.[36]
#42 Martina Navratilova has the most women’s singles Wimbledon wins (from 1968 to 2021)
In 1968, the so-called “open era” of professional tennis started, referring to the present era of professional tennis. Wimbledon has been won by a number of professional female tennis players since then. Martina Navratilova, with nine championships, was the player with the most victories as of 2021. With seven victories apiece, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams are tied for second place in the rankings.[37]
#43 Serena Williams and Chris Evert are tied for the most women’s singles US Open titles at six (from 1968 to 2021)
Since the Open Era began in 1968, the statistic ranks female professional tennis players (active and retired) by the number of US Open championships they have won. Between 1988 and 1996, Steffi Graf won the US Open five times.[38]
#44 AS of 2020, Serena Williams is the WTA tennis player with the most career prize money at nearly $94 million
As of 2020, the figure depicts the cumulative career prize money winnings of women’s tennis association (WTA) tennis players across the globe. Serena Williams’ overall prize money winnings as of 2020 were 93.63 million US dollars.[39]
#45 Martina Navratilova has the most singles title wins at 167
From 1971 through 2020, the statistic depicts the most successful female tennis players based on singles tournament championships won across the globe. Martina Navratilova was the most successful female tennis player in terms of singles championships during that time span, winning a total of 167 titles.[40]
#46 Stefanie Graf holds the female tennis player record for number of weeks ranked at number one
From 1975 through 2020, the statistic depicts professional female tennis players by the number of cumulative weeks at number one in the women’s tennis association (WTA) rankings. Stephanie Graf was at number one in the WTA rankings for 377 weeks over that time span.[41]
#47 Australian Open began as The Australasian Championships
As The Australasian Championships, the first event of what is now known as the Australian Open took place at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, in 1905.[42]
#48 Melbourne isn’t the only city to host the Australian Open
Since its inception in 1905, the Australian Open has been held not only in Melbourne (62 times), but also in Sydney (17 times), Adelaide (14 times), Brisbane (8 times), and Perth (three times), in addition to New Zealand (twice).[42]
#49 In 1972, Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club was selected as the home of the Australian Open
The Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne was selected as the permanent venue for the Australian Open in 1972. This was because Melbourne had the highest number of spectators.[42]
#50 In 1988, Flinders Park became the TA’s and Australian Open’s current home
In 1988, the Australian Open and Tennis Australia (TA), the national governing organization for the sport of tennis in Australia, relocated to its new, permanent home in Flinders Park, which is now known as Melbourne Park.[42]
#51 Since the Australian Open began in 1905, there have been eight years the tournament was not played
Because of the wars that were going on in the world at the time, the tournament was skipped between the years 1916 and 1918 and between the years 1940 and 1945.[42]
#52 Slazenger has supplied tennis balls to Wimbledon since 1902
Since 1902, Slazenger has served as the Official Supplier of tennis balls to The Championships, making it a part of the collaboration that is believed to be the longest in the history of sports goods.[43]
#53 Wimbledon has the capacity to hold up to 42,000 spectators
At any given time, there are 42,000 spectators present at the Wimbledon Grounds. When tickets that have been are resold for charitable purposes; this creates turnover and allows for the daily total to exceed this figure.[43]
#54 In 1963, Wimbledon’s white dress code was introduced
It wasn’t until 1995 that the “almost entirely in white” dress code at Wimbledon was implemented, although in 1963 the “predominantly in white” guideline was already in place. Beginning in 2014, the regulation was expanded to encompass accessories. At the time that the player enters the court area, the competitor is required to be clothed in appropriate tennis apparel that is nearly all white. This rule applies for the entirety of the competition.[43]
#55 Fresh air is pumped into Wimbledon’s bowl
Eight liters per second of clean air is sent into the bowl at Wimbledon for each individual as part of the venue’s environment management system.[43]
#56 Wimbledon’s roof takes 10 minutes to close
The process of closing the roof over Wimbledon’s bowl court takes no longer than 10 minutes.[43]
#57 148 mph is the fastest men’s serve recorded at Wimbledon
In 2010, professional tennis player Taylor Dent served a ball across the court clocked at 148 mph. The record for men’s match play.[43]
#58 129 mph is the fastest women’s serve recorded at Wimbledon
In 2008, Venus Williams served a ball traveling at 129 miles per hour as it moved from her side of the court to her opponent’s. Making it the fastest serve ever by a woman during match play.[43]
#59 3,000 staff serve approximately 234,000 meals throughout the Wimbledon Championships
During the Championships, guests and players eat and drink up to 18,000 servings of fish and chips, 6,100 plates of pasta and 4,200 servings of sushi for competitors, 276,000 glasses of Pimm’s, 65,000 ice creams sticks, and 192,000 strawberries.[43]
#60 Wimbledon’s grass is from 100 percent rye seed
The playing height for grass at Wimbledon is 8mm. The grass that makes up the court is entirely rye.[43]
#61 A hawk named Rufus is trained to keep nesting pigeons away from the Wimbledon grounds
Imogen Davis, owner and operator of Avian Control, trains a Harris Hawk named Rufus to keep pigeons away from Wimbledon. Rufus heads to the club on a weekly basis throughout the majority of the year to serve as a deterrent to the local pigeon population by alerting them to the presence of a predator on the grounds; which, evidently, gets them to roost elsewhere. During the majority of The Championships, in the mornings, Rufus flies for about an hour before the gates open to spectators.[43]
#62 The French Open is also known as Roland-Garros
The French Open, officially known as the Internationaux de France de Tennis and often referred to as Roland-Garros, is one of tennis’ four Grand Slam tournaments that is played on the clay courts of the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. Both the competition and the location were given their names in honor of the famous French aviator Roland Garros.[44]
#63 The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament played on clay
The French Open is the only Grand Slam event that is now played on clay courts, and it is often considered to be the best clay court tournament in the world. The French Open was the only major event that was not played on grass prior to the year 1975.[44]
#64 Big-serve, fast-play big-name tennis pros don’t often do as well on the French Open clay courts and vice-versa
When compared to grass or hard courts, clay courts are known to slow the ball down, but also provide more bounce. As a result, clay courts negate some of the benefits of fast servers and serve-and-volleyers, making it difficult for this style of player to dominate. For example, Pete Sampras, who won 14 Grand Slam championships and was noted for his massive serve, never won the French Open; his best finish was reaching the semi-finals in 1996. Many other notable players, such as John McEnroe, Frank Sedgman, John Newcombe, Venus Williams, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt, Jimmy Connors, Louise Brough, Virginia Wade, or Martina Hingis, have won multiple Grand Slam events but have never won the French Open; McEnroe and Edberg both lost their only French Open finals appearances in five sets.
Players like Rafael Nadal, Björn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Justine Henin, and Chris Evert, who are more suited to slower courts, have had significant success in this event. Rod Laver, Jan Kode, Björn Borg, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic are the only male players in the Open Era to win both the French Open and Wimbledon on faster grass courts. Borg has won the French Open and Wimbledon three times in a row.[44]
#65 There are 5 compositions to the French Open clay courts
Starting from the first layer, the composition of the French Open’s courts begins with drain rock, then crushed gravel, followed by clinker (coal residue), a layer of crushed white limestone, and, finally, topped with a dusting of red brick powder.[44]
#66 The French Open trophies are made of pure silver
Since 1953, Mellerio dits Meller, a well-known jewelry firm in Paris, has been responsible for the production of the French Open trophies, which have been presented to the victors ever since. They are entirely crafted of sterling silver and have intricate designs etched into the surface of each one. The names of all of the singles winners are engraved on the base of the trophy when they are crowned. Winners are presented with one-of-a-kind, sterling silver reproductions of the trophies they have earned. In most cases, the President of the French Tennis Federation will be the one to give them out (FFT).[44]
#67 In 2022, the total French Open prize money was $47 million (USD)
The prize pool for the 2022 French Open was set at $47 million (€43.6 million), up about 27 percent from the prize pool of the previous 2021 event.[44]
#68 Tennis elbow will affect 50 percent of tennis players
Tennis elbow affects 50 percent of tennis players. Repetitive wrist and arm motions can lead to tennis elbow. The most common symptom is pain. It mainly affects the outside of the elbow, although it can also affect the forearm and wrist. Rest, pain medications, and physical therapy are all part of the treatment plan.[45]
#69 Tennis shoes were invented in 1892 and were known as plimsolls
The early tennis shoes were made of cloth with rubber bottoms. The shoes were designed and manufactured in the early 1800s for the British Navy to wear on their slick decks. Plimsolls were the name given to the shoes when they first appeared on the market in 1892.
Because the shoes made no sound when walking, they were given the moniker sneakers. They didn’t even have a right or left shoe. This style remained popular until the late 1960s, when other businesses began to produce their own versions of the tennis shoe.[46]
#70 Keds in the oldest brand of tennis shoes, introduced in 1916
In the early 1900s, consumers were presented with a growing number of shoe brands to choose from. Keds were the first popular shoe to be worn in tennis and were created in 1916 by the United States Rubber Company, which would eventually become Uniroyal. The All-Star tennis shoe was the first product that Converse released to the public in 1917. In 1931, Adidas introduced the world to the very first sneaker designed with tennis in mind.[47]
#71 $113,478 is the average tennis player salary from 2015 to 2019
Prize money brought in an average of $1,940 per match for professional tennis players during the years of 2015 and 2019. This equated to an annual compensation of $113,478. The athlete that was rated number one had an annual pay of $14,406,932 on average, while players placed number 1,927 received only $1,126 per year.[48]
#72 US Open ball boys/girls were paid $11 per hour in 2017
Although serving as a ballperson at the US Open is entirely voluntary, in most cases, individuals who do so are compensated with an hourly rate of around $11.[49]
#73 The ATP Tour Masters 1000 is comprised of nine tournaments
At the moment, the ATP Masters 1000 consists of the nine tournaments: the Canadian Open (which takes place annually in either Montreal or Toronto), the Italian Open (which takes place in Rome), the Indian Wells Masters, the Miami Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters, the Madrid Open, the Cincinnati Masters, the Shanghai Masters, and the Paris Masters. Since 2009, all but one of the events have been played on outdoor hard courts, while the remaining three have been played on clay, and the last one has been played on an indoor hard court. Prior to 2009, there were only two indoor tournaments at the top-nine level.
When the Madrid Open moved to clay courts in 2009, it took the place of the Hamburg Open in the spring clay court season. This meant that the Shanghai Masters took over the eighth spot in the year, which had previously been occupied by the Madrid Open, which had been held as an indoor event up until that point. Despite the fact that the venue has a roof that can be retracted in case of inclement weather and that it served as the indoor location for the ATP Finals from 2005 through 2008, the Shanghai Masters is officially held outdoors.[50]
#74 Tennis produces higher endurance capacity than bikeriding and jogging
While conducting single longitudinal research, 38 sedentary, middle-aged volunteers were randomly allocated to one of four groups: biking (9), tennis (10), running (9), and a control (10). For 20 weeks, each group exercised three times each week for 30 minutes. Tennis provided an increase in endurance capacity by 5.7 percent, as compared to cycling (14.8 percent) and running (13.3 percent). The control group remained unchanged. However, it should be noted that the duration of each training session was only 30 to 50 percent of the average time players spend playing tennis.[51]
#75 Tennis is excellent for improving cardiovascular health
Because tennis matches can take up to three hours, muscle endurance and aerobic system health are highly impacted. People who play tennis on a regular basis have been proven to have decreased incidences of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension and coronary artery disease.
Adults’ resting heart rates range from 60 to 100 beats per minute, and a lower heart rate indicates that a person’s heart is working more effectively and that their overall cardiovascular health is improving.
At the height of his career, Bjorn Borg, one of the all-time great tennis players, had a resting heart rate of 35 beats per minute! This was the astounding effect of years of tennis training’s cardiovascular adaptation.[52]
#76 The fuzz on tennis balls slows it down and aids with control
The fuzz on a tennis ball improves wind resistance, slowing the ball down and allowing players to volley for longer. Without it, a lot of serves would result in the ball flying off the court. When players strike the ball, the fuzz helps them control it by keeping it attached to their racquet strings for a millisecond or two longer.[53]
#77 Tennis for Two, introduced in 1958, is believed to be the very first video game
Visitors stood in line at Brookhaven National Laboratory more than fifty years ago, before arcades or home video games, to play “Tennis for Two,” an electronic tennis game that is a predecessor of the today’s video games.
On October 18, 1958, at one of the Lab’s annual visitors’ days, Tennis for Two was first demonstrated. The electronic tennis game was played by two individuals using separate controllers coupled to an analog computer with an oscilloscope as a screen. William Higinbotham, the game’s developer, was a nuclear scientist who served as the first chair of the Federation of American Scientists, which advocated for nuclear nonproliferation.[54]
#78 The White House has a tennis court
A tennis court, a jogging track, a swimming pool, a movie theater, a billiard room, and a bowling alley are among the amenities provided to White House residents for recreational purposes.[55]
#79 Washington DC has highest interest in tennis in U.S.
In the United States (May 2022), District of Columbia has the highest search interest by region with 100. This is followed by Connecticut (92), New Jersey (91), Florida (88), and New York (88).[56]
#80 The United States leads every nation with 21 Olympic gold medals for tennis
The United States has more gold medals in Tennis Olympics than any other country with 21 (May 2022). Great Britain is second with 17, followed by France with five; while Germany, Russia, Switzerland, and South Africa have three each.[57]
#81 Serena Williams and Venus Williams have four gold medals each
Serena and Venus Williams have won a record four gold medals, three in a doubles team, making them the first athletes to win the same Olympic event three times. With five Olympic tennis medals apiece, Venus Williams (four gold, one silver) and Kathleen McKane Godfree (one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes) hold the medal count record.[57]
#82 Since 2007, wheelchair tennis is played at all four Grand Slam events
Since 2007, wheelchair tennis has been competed at all four Grand Slams and is one of the summer Paralympic sports. There are singles and doubles events in each of the three categories: Men, Women, and Quads.
The Quad division, which is the newest, is for players who have significant loss of function in at least one upper limb, but this can involve a variety of infirmities other than quadriplegia. During the Paralympic Games, the division is commonly referred to as Mixed. Quad players sometimes tape their rackets to their hands to compensate for their loss of function, and some players are permitted to utilize motorized wheelchairs.
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#83 Brad Parks is often credited with popularizing wheelchair tennis
Because of the efforts of Brad Parks, who is credited with inventing competitive wheelchair tennis, wheelchair tennis gained prominence in 1976. France was the first European country to implement a wheelchair tennis program in 1982. Since then, a lot of work has gone into promoting the sport at the highest level.[58]
#84 Professional tennis players opt for 27- to 29-inch rackets
In terms of length, junior rackets typically vary from 21 to 26 inches (53 to 66 cm), with 27 inches (69 cm) reserved for stronger, more physically developed players. Some are also available at 27.5 to 29-inch lengths (70 to 74 cm). The Gamma Big Bubba was formerly available in a 32-inch (81-centimeter) length, but that length is no longer authorized.[59]
#85 Tennis rackets weigh seven ounces unstrung and about 12.6 ounces strung
Racket weights range from seven ounces (200 g) unstrung to 12.6 ounces (360 g) strung. Rackets with a “medium” weight were made until the 1980s. During the peak of the wood period (e.g. the 1960s), “Heavy” rackets were made in small quantities. Since it was abandoned by businesses, the “medium” weight is heavier than any of the rackets manufactured. To increase stability, several pros added weight to their rackets.[59]
#86 The word ‘tennis’ is searched approximately 368,000 times per month in the United States
According to Semrush, ‘tennis’ gets searched 368,000 times per month across the nation, there are 3.58 billion search results for the term, and the Keyword Difficulty score is 100%.[60]
#87 There are an estimated 250,000 tennis courts in the United States
According to the latest figures from the United States Tennis Association, the country has an estimated 250,000 tennis courts to serve the country’s 20+ million tennis players. Even in such a large and wide country as the United States, a number of those courts will wind up in strange locations.
So don’t be shocked if you see one in Grand Central Terminal or on the ledges of Alcatraz. In Brooklyn, a clay court may be found buried among housing complexes. Or one fashioned out of an Iowa family farm. Naturally, that’s a grass court.
You may try tennis at the International Tennis Hall of Fame or on the same courts as the Williams sisters. Alternatively, you may live near to an oil field in Texas or on the beaches of Lake George. And you won’t have to break the bank to play them. The majority of the courts on this list are open to the public.[61]
#89 Tennis racket sales were up 40 percent in 2020
The Tennis Industry Association, which supports in the monitoring of the overall US tennis industry, announced that racquet sales in the entry-level category had increased by about 40 percent year over year.[62]
#90 97.7 percent of players surveyed reported that tennis helps manage health
When asked if practicing tennis helps them manage their health, 97.7 percent of respondents said yes. Even with such a wide, heterogeneous sample of athletes, this overwhelming majority demonstrates the beneficial influence that playing a sport at any level may have on a player’s well-being.[63]
#88 In 2021, 22.62 million people took to the tennis courts
According to recent data from the Physical Activity Council’s Participation (PAC) report issued by Sports Marketing Surveys, tennis participation in the United States climbed by 22% in 2020, with 21.64 million individuals (aged six years and above) hitting the courts and to 22.62 million in 2021. The poll and report track over 120 different sports and activities that Americans participate in.
6.78 million of the more than 21 million Americans who said they played tennis last year were new or returning/lapsed players. Nearly 3 million were first-time gamers, representing a 44 percent increase over new players in 2019. In addition, the 3.82 million Americans who returned to the sport after a break was up 40% from the same figure in 2019.[64]
#91 Scotland’s King James I was assassinated due to his love of tennis
The sewer drain near the corner of the court where King James I of Scotland played at Blackfriars Monastery kept dropping balls through it. This infuriated him, because what good is being king if you can’t order an unpleasant sewage drain to be blocked right away?
This, like so many other rash actions, came back to haunt James.
Assassins broke into his home a few days later to… assassinate him. The monarch sought to avoid the evil people by crawling beneath the floorboards and into the drainage system, intending to escape by the tennis court exit. Instead of a slew of tennis balls blocking the sewer drain he was running via, he discovered the newly blocked grate and was apprehended and killed.[65]
#92 The Wimbledon trophy is adorned with a tiny pineapple
The Wimbledon trophy has a pineapple on top of it that appears to symbolize the English habit of placing pineapples on their gateposts upon returning from a lengthy journey.[65]
#94 The fastest Grand Slam final ever was just 34 minutes
Steffi Graf defeated Natalia Zvereva in a 6-0, 6-0 French Open final, defending her championship, in just 34 minutes. The quickest Grand Slam final ever in 1988.[65]
#93 In 2007 Wimbledon and the French Open organizers began awarding prize money to men and women equally
Wimbledon, along with the French Open, was the latest of the Grand Slam competitions to implement equal pay for men and women in 2007. Wimbledon, regarded as one of the most prominent tournaments on the circuit, did not implement equal prize money until 39 years after the ‘Open Era’ began in 1968.[66]
#95 Andre Agassi got reads on Boris Becker sticking his tongue out
During the prime of their careers, both of these players had a fierce tennis rivalry. Becker won the first three matches they played against each other three times in a row, a hat-trick of victories.
Agassi has no notion how he can beat Becker in a different way. He re-watched their matches on tape over and over. Before he served, he discovered Becker’s strange tendency. Becker would put his tongue out every time he was ready to serve. His serve would travel wide if it went to the left of his mouth; if it stayed in the centre, the ball would stay in the center.[66]
#96 In 2016, the Brazil Open tennis tournament replaced ball boys with stray dogs
In Brazil, four former street dogs are demonstrating their newfound abilities in 2016.
Frida, Costela, Mel, and Isabelle used to walk the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, but now they’re on assignment at the Brazil Open tennis event, according to the Associated Press.
The four canines worked as ball dogs during an exhibition match between Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena and Portugal’s Gastao Elias. They wore orange ribbons and spent nearly 30 minutes during the practice match chasing wayward balls, after months of preparation.
The dogs’ participation encourages the adoption of abandoned street animals.[67]
#97 In 1993, 19-year-old Monica Seles was stabbed on court at the French Open
When Seles upset number one ranked Steffi Graf in the finals of the French Open in 1990, she became the youngest woman to win the tournament. Seles, a powerful player who has a reputation of grunting loudly during matches, took over as the top-ranked women’s player in 1991, replacing Graf.
She had won eight Grand Slam championships and was ranked number one in the world when she was attacked in 1993. Gunter Parche, 38, went over a fence and stabbed Seles between the shoulder blades with a knife on April 30, 1993, when she was seated on a courtside seat during a changeover in her match versus Magdalena Maleeva at the Hamburg Open. Security personnel swiftly caught Parche, and Seles was brought to the hospital.
Seles was able to heal from her physical injuries, but she was left with significant mental wounds and did not return to professional tennis for another two years.[68]
#98 A Grand Slam is when a player wins all four major championships in the same calendar year
In tennis, a Grand Slam is achieved when a player wins all four major championships in a single discipline in the same calendar year, sometimes known as a “Calendar-year Grand Slam” or “Calendar Slam.” In doubles, a team may win the Grand Slam by playing together, while an individual can win it by playing with different partners.
A “non-calendar-year Grand Slam” is defined as winning all four major championships in a row but not in the same calendar year, whereas a “Career Grand Slam” is defined as winning all four majors at any time during a career.
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#99 The word ‘tennis’ is believed to be from the French word ‘tenez,’ meaning ‘to take’
Tennis may have its origins as far back as the 12th century, according to one theory. When French monks played a courtyard game in which they struck a ball back and forth with their hands or off the courtyard walls, it is thought that they devised a forerunner to tennis. Jeu de Paume, or “Game of the Palm,” was the name given to this game. Those who accept this story also claim that the word “tennis” comes from these monks, who would cry “tenez” while serving the ball, which means “to take” in French.[70]
#100 In 2021, Head tennis rackets raked in the most ATP tournament wins with 29
Of the major tennis racket manufacturers that are regularly used in ATP competitive play, Head is head and shoulders above the rest – at least in 2021 with 29 tournament wins. Coming in second is Wilson (13), followed by Yonex (8), Babolat (7), and Tecnifibre (4).[71]
#101 In 2021, Wilson tennis rackets led the win count in WTA tournament wins with 22
In 2021, WTA players using Wilson tennis rackets won 22 tournaments. After Wilson was Babolat (17), Yonex (16), Head (12), and Tecnifibre (5).[71]
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