The History of Tennis

Book excerpt: All the passion, drama, and beauty of tennis is captured in this most up-to-date comprehensive history--from its early beginnings as a sport, the greatest matches ever played, to its global star players and personalities of present day. This volume is a must-read for tennis aficionados. Tennis, the much-loved sport, is a game for the ages dating back to sixteenth-century royal court matches played by King Henry VIII. History of Tennis captures the sport's long history, never short of theatrics, rivalries, power plays, political controversies, and inspiring personal stories. Beautiful historic and contemporary images of gripping matches like the unforgettable Bjorn Borg versus John McEnroe tiebreak match in 1980, to behind-the-scenes moments with tennis legends, and never-before-seen shots, grace each page accompanied by Richard Evans's intriguing stories and unique insight detailing the evolution of this majestic sport by decade. Starting as a European royal pastime and gaining popularity in England and France, the sport made its way to America in the late 1870s as the new game of lawn tennis, creating along the centuries legendary tennis superstars such as Bill Tilden, Suzanne Lenglen and the Four Musketeers, Fred Perry, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, and Steffi Graf. Now one of the most highly watched sports globally with top-billing icons like Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Naomi Osaka, there is no stopping the power of this allenthralling game. This is a must-have volume for lifelong fans and those intrigued by the sporting theater and grand culture of tennis.