While ball games played with the hand or rudimentary racquets have existed for centuries, modern tennis traces its direct lineage back to 19th-century England.

• Ancient Precursors & Jeu de Paume: Games involving hitting a ball back and forth have ancient roots. In medieval Europe, particularly France, a game called «Jeu de Paume» (game of the palm) became popular, initially played with bare hands and later with gloves and primitive racquets, often indoors. This is considered a direct ancestor of modern tennis.

• The Birth of Lawn Tennis: The crucial step towards the game we know today occurred in the early 1870s. Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, a British army officer, is credited with patenting and popularizing a version designed for outdoor play on grass, which he initially called «Sphairistikè» (Greek for «ball playing»), soon simplified to «Lawn Tennis.» His rules and equipment (including an hourglass-shaped court, later standardized to rectangular) laid the foundation.

• Wimbledon and Standardization: The sport quickly gained popularity among the British upper class. The All England Croquet Club at Wimbledon held its first Lawn Tennis Championship in 1877, establishing rules (like court dimensions and net height) that largely remain today. Wimbledon rapidly became the most prestigious tournament.

• Global Spread and the Open Era: Tennis spread worldwide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Major championships emerged in other countries, eventually forming the four Grand Slam tournaments (Wimbledon, US Open, French Open, Australian Open). For decades, the sport maintained a strict distinction between amateurs and professionals. This changed dramatically in 1968 with the advent of the «Open Era,» allowing professionals to compete alongside amateurs in the major tournaments, ushering in the modern professional game we see today.