Play Tennis Day

Play Tennis Day is an annual American holiday dedicated to tennis. Today the game is an Olympic sport, but nothing prevents us from relaxing by playing a couple of games in the backyard of the country house! The holiday is celebrated on February 23.

History

The forerunner of modern tennis is considered to be the game of “Gicoco”, which appeared in France, Italy and England around the end of the 13th century. A net was stretched across the center of the field, over which the ball had to be thrown. They used a stiff leather gauntlet on the arm or a shield made of wood. Around the 16th century already appeared racket.

Modern tennis in past centuries was known as “lawn tennis. It is believed to have become popular in the United States thanks to an upper-class woman named Mary Yu. Outerbridge, who began playing it upon her arrival from England (Bermuda to be exact).

Modern tennis is played on a court (rectangular area) with different surfaces: asphalt, grass, rubberized surface, etc. With the help of racquets throw the ball over the net. A player is awarded points if his opponent fails to kick the ball.

Interesting facts

• Tennis was very popular with French and English rulers. Personal courts were often set up in the courts of kings.
• The fastest serve in women’s tennis occurred in 1988. American V. Williams served it at 205 km/h. Among the men’s players in 2011 I. Karlovic. He was able to pitch the ball at 251 km/h.
• Tennis players are considered to be very nervous players and in a fit of anger from defeat often break their racquets. So in a year usually more than 300 racquets are broken.

How to celebrate

Get together with friends to play tennis. If you haven’t been familiar with the game before, celebrating Play Tennis Day is a great excuse to learn basic skills. Research the Internet for information about famous tennis players from your city/country. You can also watch the Olympics for this sport!

Spread the word on social media. Ask other users if they like tennis and how often they play it.

When is Play Tennis Day celebrated in 2024?

Play Tennis Day is observed on February 23 each year.

Observations