The sport of tennis is one of Bilal Basrai’s favorite hobbies. Having played tennis for years, and followed the sport as a spectator, he has learned many interesting facts about the history of tennis. He likes to share his knowledge of the sport with colleagues, friends, and family.
- The sport of tennis is thousands of years old, originating in Europe where monks would play the game as a part of religious rites or ceremonies.
During the first years the sport was played, the ball was not hit with a racket but with the bare hand. Later, a glove was created for the players to wear. Eventually, the glove was retrofitted with a handle and became the first tennis racket.
- It is widely believed that the first games of tennis were played in Ancient Greece. However, there is historical proof that the 12th century handball game called paume is actually the forefather of modern tennis.
- As the popularity of tennis grew with the monks in Europe, the church took offense to the playing of the game for religious purposes. Interestingly, the same dim view of a sport was held by the Church of England with the game of golf.
- The first balls used in handball tennis were made of wood. This added a very complex level of difficulty to the game as striking the ball with the bare hand was painful and required skill. After a time, the balls were changed to include a cellulose material on the inside that gave extra bounce.
- Of the many European countries where tennis found fame, France was the leader of the pack. By the fourteenth century, most of the noble and royal families in France were nearly obsessed with the game. In 1316, the ruling French King Louis X, actually passed away after playing an exceptionally rigorous game of tennis. Even with the death of the King, the game’s popularity did not decline.
- Tennis earned its modern name thanks to the word that French players would shout at the beginning of a match. This word “tenez” means “play”. The game was also referred to as royal and real tennis.
- The first tennis court was built in the 1530s by English monarch Henry VIII at his Hampton Court Palace. Players in Italy developed the first tennis racket in 1583.
- The Wimbledon district of London, England became distinctly tied to the game of tennis through the creation of the All England Croquet Club and subsequent sports that were played in the region. The All England Croquet Club eventually hosted the very first World Tennis Championship in 1877 in Wimbledon.
- As the sport of tennis became a mainstay around the world, the number of regulated games also grew. In 1891, the first French tennis Championships took place, a match which is now referred to as the French Open. Tennis then became an official Olympic sport in 1896.
The first woman to compete in and win the Wimbledon Ladies Championship Title was Suzanne Lenglen in 1919.
- In 1924, the game of tennis was removed from the Olympic Games due to a conflict with the scheduling of the Wimbledon Championships.
From the time of the first tennis racket until 1930, the racket was created using ash wood taken from a single wood slab and carved into the correct shape. As of the 1930s, the new form of racket was made using a wood laminate that was much sturdier.
- In 1976, the first graphite tennis racket was introduced. This is the style of racket used by Bilal Basrai.
Working with capital markets is one of Bilal Basrai’s many skills in the business world. Having served as an executive for many large financial institutions, he understands the importance of capital markets and the many ways they can affect the entirety of an economy. The following information is a brief highlight of capital markets and their role.You want regular updates and more information follow Bilal Basrai on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest