An Ancient Game-

Northern Advocate, 7 December 1935, Page 4 (Supplement)

An Ancient Game-

Tennis is a very ancient which was a sport long before 7 was dreamed of. In fact, a ~ , /■game was played both by, the Greeks and the Romans. Tenez (of which htennis” seems to be a corruption) was ■'the word used by the server in the same way that “ready" is used now. ■ The game of tenez is mentioned in a Aversion of the Arthurian legends, wnti:' ten about 1500, wherein the Knights of • the Round Table are pictured as en- ■’ gaged in this sport when the weather , was too warm for jousts and tourneys, t 'lTrom a very simple beginning the '• rules of the game have developed dur- !;; ing the centuries, becoming ever more iii intricate and elaborate. In the 15th .Century tennis was immensely popular ■ in France, where all, from the king downwards, delighted in -u

Not tenez, but “jeu de paume” was , the original name,’the name being so ' called because the ball was struck with ’/■the palm of the hand. Later, the hand ■ was enclosed in a glove; later still, the glove was criss-crossed with strings, !’ until eventually the glove gave way to ;; the short-handled racket.