Tennis, as a game, has a great tradition throughout history. It is probably one of the most interesting and entertaining sports out there – even if it is not played in teams. In addition, for those who are interested in its history, there are two notable facts that can be considered milestones in tennis development. The first is the invention of vulcanized rubber. This one invention catapulted tennis to the forefront of popular sports. Moreover, the second invention was the match between Billie Jean King, the female tennis celebrity, and Bobby Riggs, the male star. Jean King's shock victory over Riggs changed the face of female tennis forever.
• Vulcanized Rubber:
Before vulcanized rubber, tennis was played on indoor courts. Chris Freville mentions how players would use the angled walls of the tennis court to ricochet the ball to their opponents. Balls used to be made of wool wads, hair, wool, leather-wrapped cork, or even string and cloth. When Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber, to be first deployed for making tires, people saw in it the perfect material for tennis balls. Rubber balls can bounce off the ground as easily as they do off the walls, which meant that the game could be enjoyed in fresh air and sunshine too, and not be restricted to the damp indoors with little light.
Therefore, it was that vulcanized rubber brought tennis to the outdoors in the 1850s, when it came to be known as "lawn tennis". Rules were rewritten to adjust for the new speed and the new style that came with it. The upper class took to the sport immediately, as it gave young, courting couples to enjoy a real sport without causing any distress to anybody. Walter Clopton Wingfield, who is looked upon as the father of modern tennis, formally patented the game in 1874. This is disputed, though, because of reports that other people introduced the game to the masses. Whatever may be the truth, Wingfield's name is etched in history. Tennis became a hit with the masses in the years that followed, with Tennis clubs and championship tournaments. The first championship matches were held in 1877 at Wimbledon, as Chris Freville notes.
• Billie Jean King v/s Bobby Riggs
Chris Freville writes about the shock victory of Billie Jean King over Bobby Riggs on May 13, 1973 tennis changed women tennis. Up until then, women's tennis never fetched financial returns to its players the way men enjoyed. Jean King's victory suddenly gave women tennis a new respectability, and decent purses soon followed.
Rules of the game have been modified to keep pace with the times. Truth be told, many people consider tennis as being one of the most elegant sports out there. Even if it is violent from a healthy point of view, (it charges the heart muscle faster than other games) and it is not the best maintenance sport out there, tennis is certainly fun and quite entertaining. It is easy to play since you do not need large teams, and all you have to do is find a friend, and it is not that difficult to learn how to play either.
Chris Freville writes about the shock victory of
Billie Jean King over Bobby Riggs on May 13, 1973 tennis changed women tennis. Up until then, women's tennis never fetched financial returns to its players the way men enjoyed.
