Tennis Courts: A History
Often we do not necessarily think about where the things we have today came from. The coffee cup, the fork, the window, the fan, the baseball bat—all of these things have simply become a part of our everyday life, and we do not usually wonder and the often strange and variegated history of such inventions. Television shows, such as “How it’s Made” usually provide some interesting history about where things come from, and as the name of the show suggests, how it was made. One of those things is the tennis court. It was not always the perfect rubberized rectangle it was today, especially when it was initially created by monks in the fourteenth century.
The net originally was 5 feet tall on the left and right sides, but in the middle it was 3 feet tall. The other things vastly different from modern day courts includes its shape. It once looked more like an hourglass, its middle much narrower than where it started where the players stood. Further, it was actually played indoors as the sport was considered royal, and it was the royals who often enjoyed watching the sport, especially the French who loved the game so much they called it royal tennis. Instead of the ball being bounced on the ground, it was instead played on the walls.
Today courts are made of various materials, and obviously look different than those in the first days on tennis in Europe. Asphalt and concrete are the most popular and cheaper forms of materials used to create the courts. However, special types of rubber are used to make courts more comfortable for players, in particular those that play at grand tournaments, like the upcoming Australian Open Tennis.
However, it takes more than just a comfortable court to be successful at tennis, though it certainly makes easier on the player’s feet and affects the way the ball plays off of the ground. Tennis takes speed and agility, and if you have ever watched a match, it is in a way a form of dance. In addition to be able to play all the different parts of the court, a player must maintain accuracy and plan for future moves from their opponent, similar to how chess masters work. It takes both physical and mental prowess to be successful, not just a fancy tennis court.