How well do you know tennis?
Tennis has quirky scoring, famous tournaments and centuries of history. Six questions, from easy to hard.
Did you know?
- The longest tennis match in history took place at Wimbledon in 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. It lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days, and the final set ended 70–68.
- Wimbledon uses tens of thousands of tennis balls each year. They are stored at a constant temperature so that they behave consistently throughout the tournament.
- Hawk-Eye, the camera system used to judge whether balls are in or out, was introduced at major tennis events in 2006. Players can challenge line calls a limited number of times per set.
The long history of tennis
Modern lawn tennis was developed in England in the 1870s, but it grew out of older racket and ball games played in European courtyards for centuries. Today tennis is played worldwide, with professional tours for men and women, and the four Grand Slam tournaments — Australia, France, Wimbledon and the US — are its biggest events.
Different surfaces, different games
Tennis is unusual because its biggest events are played on different surfaces. Grass is fast and low-bouncing, clay is slow and high-bouncing, and hard courts sit in between. Players often excel on one surface, and winning on all of them is considered a sign of true greatness.
A pioneer in equal prize money
Tennis was an early leader in equal pay. The US Open offered equal prize money to men and women in 1973, and all four Grand Slams did so by 2007. Players such as Billie Jean King campaigned for this change and helped found the Women's Tennis Association.
Rackets and technology
Rackets evolved from heavy wooden frames to lighter, larger frames made of graphite and other materials. Modern strings allow players to hit with enormous spin. These changes made the game faster and more powerful, and they changed which techniques and players succeed.
Tennis traditions
Wimbledon is famous for its traditions: players must wear almost entirely white clothing, and spectators eat strawberries and cream. Roland-Garros is known for its red clay, and the US Open for its lively night sessions. Each tournament has its own character and fan culture.
How tennis scoring works
Tennis scoring can confuse newcomers. Points go 15, 30, 40 and game; if both players reach 40, it is 'deuce', and a player must win two points in a row to take the game. Games make up sets, usually won by the first player to six games with a two-game lead. Men's Grand Slam matches are the best of five sets, women's the best of three.