About tennis in Britain
Britain - the home of tennis. We've produced some of the world's top tennis players and we host the world's biggest tennis tournament, which has run for over 130 years. It's clear to see that tennis is one of the most popular sports in Britain.
The game of tennis as we know it today began with an Englishman named Major Walter Wingfield, who adapted the French game 'jeu de paume' (game of the palm). The name 'tennis' also goes back to this game, when the French players would shout 'Tenetz!' (take heed) before they hit the ball.
Tennis is played with 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) players, usually on a lawn court. A net divides the court in half, and to score, players must hit the ball over the net into the deuce court (the right side of the server's court, and the left side of their opponent's court) of their opponent's side.
Now, about 5 million people play tennis in the UK, and people come from all over the world to watch this great game being played at its home, and in the summer months, tennis tournaments take over the sporting calendar. From Wimbledon (www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/guide/club.html) to the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament (www.liverpooltennis.co.uk/), there's something for everyone.
Britain is also home to some of the world's most famous tennis clubs, including the All England Lawn Tennis Club (www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/guide/club.html), which is responsible for staging the world - famous Wimbledon Championships, and the Queen's Club (www.queensclub.co.uk/site/_index_nonmember.htm), also in London, which hosts a number of other popular tennis tournaments, including the Artois Championships.