Like any sport, tennis fascinates and delights its fans, inspires and invigorates the participants. He is gaining new horizons and is becoming increasingly popular. In this article we will consider the history of modern tennis, the history of the evolution of the ball, types of tournaments and much more.
What is tennis?
First, let's briefly talk about tennis in general, the history of its development, the rules of the game, equipment, and then dwell on the characteristics and diameter of the tennis ball. Tennis is a truly royal, very exciting and beautiful sport, but technically challenging. Tennis tournaments are very spectacular and gather full stands of fans.
The history of modern tennis
The ancestor of modern tennis was the game “real tennis”, according to its rules, the ball was beaten by hands. It was made from natural materials - synthetic ones did not exist yet. And the size of the ball for tennis was different from the current. Over time, the game was improved: for convenience, gloves began to be used, and later bits appeared.
And only in the XVI century during the game began to use rackets and netting. At this time, almost the entire French elite, including kings, played tennis. In 1874, Walter Clopton drew up new rules for this game, close to modern, and a year later they improved these rules. The game was called “lawn tennis”, which is translated from French as “lawn tennis”.
Currently, the game also takes place on a special platform, which is called the court. According to the rules of the game, the struggle for victory is between two players or teams consisting of two people. The court is a rectangular platform located on a flat surface, with special markings. It is applied depending on the composition of the team and affects the rules and method of the game.
A grid located in the middle of the court separates the player’s field from the opponent’s field. Its height at the racks is 1 yard (1.07 m) or 6 inches, and in the middle - 1 yard (914 mm). The strategy of the game is affected by the coverage of the court, since the ball bounces from different surfaces in different ways.
There are various types of coverings: grass, concrete, parquet, clay, hard (hard court), rubber, carpet, asphalt, wooden. Modern advanced tennis players, of course, take into account all the factors that affect the way and the result of the game.
Using a racket
The diameter of a tennis ball affects the choice of a racket - a special device with a handle and an area for breaking the ball. Modern tennis racquet graphite. This is a product of a high-tech process, it was she who, thanks to her excellent gaming qualities, took the place of wooden, metal and fiberglass.
Professional players often order individual production of racquets, as this takes into account their own anatomy and the size of the tennis ball (to get a better hit).
Ball history
Until 1480, the balls were not hollow, as now, they were filled with chalk, sawdust or earth. And, most likely, the diameter of the tennis ball of that time was also different from the current one. Then Louis XI said that the balls must be made of good skin. Scottish craftsmen made balls from the stomachs of sheep and goats, bandaging them with a rope. Much later they began to pour balls of rubber and fill with gas.
Now an integral part of the inventory is a hollow tennis ball, which is made of rubber and covered with felt to reduce wear. The ball has a bright color, a closed line of a certain shape is applied to its surface. Balls with gas under pressure and without it, made of other materials, are common, all in order to improve the rebound. The outer surface of the ball must be uniform, and the color must be bright. Currently, white or green tennis balls are most often used.
The diameter of a tennis ball in mm is usually not calculated, however, to translate it from cm or inches is not difficult. But we will present it in our usual measurement: the diameter should be at least 6.35 cm, but not exceed 6.67 cm. The ball should bounce to a height of 135 cm to 147 cm, and when it falls from a height onto the hard surface of the court - up to 254 cm. The weight for any diameter of the tennis ball is 58.5 g. If there is a connection in its design, it should not be stitched.
Tennis Tournaments
As in other game sports, competition in tennis is called a "tournament". It can be a one-time event held in a certain place, or, as is most often the case in tennis, a whole system of matches.
Tournaments take place over time. Usually tennis tournaments are divided into male and female, doubles, mixed (participants are representatives of both sexes). Tournaments are held for different age groups. All of the above competitions are different in prestige. One of the most famous is the Grand Slam tournament.
To become the owner of the Grand Slam means to win four games, that is, tournaments, in one season. To win this title is the cherished dream of all tennis players, as it allows you to go down in the history of tennis. The higher award is the “Golden Helmet” - this is the gold of the Olympic Games.
Summing up, we can wish athletes good results.
Now we understand even more that many factors influence the outcome of a match, or tournament: player skill, court coverage, racket identity, material and diameter of the tennis ball.