The game of tennis boasts a rich and storied history, tracing its origins to 11th-century France, where it was referred to as “jeu de paume” or “game of the hand.” During this time, the game involved striking a ball with one’s palm against walls and sloping roofs in a monastery courtyard.
The modern iteration of tennis that we are acquainted with today was cultivated in 19th-century England, swiftly surpassing the popularity of croquet. The All England Croquet Club subsequently opened its grounds for tennis matches, and national federations were established globally during the 19th century. This led to the establishment of the International Lawn Tennis Federation, now known as the International Tennis Federation (ITF), in 1913.
Tennis is competed in various events at the Olympics, including men’s and women’s singles, as well as men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles. Singles matches typically consist of best-of-three sets, with a standard tie-break in each set, including the final one.
The history of tennis at the Olympics has been sporadic. Its debut was in the 1896 Olympics in Athens, but it was removed from the program after the 1924 Games due to disputes between the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the International Olympic Committee regarding amateur player definitions. While it briefly returned as a demonstration sport in 1968 and 1984, tennis only regained full medal status at the Olympics in 1988.
Since then, esteemed players such as Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Roger Federer, and Serena and Venus Williams have all competed and achieved Olympic success in the sport.
Current Olympic champions in tennis include Alexander Zverev of Germany for men’s singles, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland for women’s singles, Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic of Croatia for men’s doubles, Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic for women’s doubles, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Andrey Rublev of the Russian Olympic Committee for mixed doubles.
Anticipation for the tennis events at the Paris Olympics in 2024 is palpable. The tournament will commence on July 27 with brackets for singles and doubles events, with medal events scheduled to take place on August 2, 3, and 4. The matches will be held on the red clay of Roland Garros, the esteemed venue that hosts the French Open.
As the world eagerly awaits the highly anticipated tennis events at the Paris Olympics, it is evident that tennis has left a lasting legacy and continues to captivate the imagination of sports enthusiasts worldwide.