The precursor to tennis was the “jeu de paume,” or “game of the hand,” which originated in France in the 11th century. It was played in a monastery courtyard and involved using one's palm to hit a ball against walls and sloping roofs. Tennis, as we know it today, was developed in 19th-century England. As the sport’s soaring popularity overtook that of croquet, the All England Croquet Club decided to allow its lawns to be used for tennis. Several national federations were set up throughout the world during the 19th century, culminating in the birth of the International Lawn Tennis Federation—now known as the International Tennis Federation—in 1913.
