Tennis is a very popular form of racket sport played throughout the world. It was started in Europe. Since the beginning, this sport has been regarded as a game of the elite. The word tennis is said to be derived from a French word tenez, meaning ‘to hold’. Tennis is played with rackets and a rubber ball. It is now played in many countries across the world. The USA and many European countries are the dominant forces in the game. Some Asian and Latin American countries too have started to provide stiff competition for the traditional superpowers.

In the beginning, tennis was exclusively played on grass courts. At that time, it was an outdoor sport. But now, tennis is played both as an indoor and outdoor game. Apart from grass courts, tennis matches are also played on other surfaces as well. These include hard courts and clay courts. For a long time, tennis was popular in the English-speaking countries of the world. But gradually, it gained popularity throughout many countries. A game of tennis is played by two or for players. When two players play the game, it is called singles. Similarly, when four players play it is called doubles.

There are four major tournaments played every year in the tennis circuit. They are called as a Grand slam in tennis. These include the Australian Open, The Wimbledon, the French Open and the US Open. The Wimbledon is a prestigious tournament played in London. It is the most popular of the four grand slams. It has a great tradition attached to it. Professional tennis players consider themselves fortunate if they win this tournament at least once in their playing career. Wimbledon is played on a grass surface. Australian Open is the season opener. It is held in Melbourne, Australia. Earlier, Australian open too was played on grass. But now, they too have started to use synthetic surfaces for the matches. The French Open is the third grand slam of the year. It is played on a surface made of clay. Like Wimbledon, this tournament too carries a long lasting tradition. Clay is a slower surface and it requires superior stamina and rallying ability to become a good clay court player. Grass courts are all about power play and athleticism. Usually, clay courts produce longer rallies, thereby making it an ideal spectator sport. The US open is the last grand slam of the year and it played on a hard, cemented surface.

The game of tennis has produced many greats. Rod Laver is considered as one of the greats of the game. Bjorn Borg had a successful career at the Wimbledon. Pete Sampras of the USA retired as one of the legends of the game. He was well-known for his all court game. Among the current players, Roger Federer is considered the best player. Rafael Nadal, a Spaniard, is considered a predominantly clay court expert, and he is giving Federer stiff competition.