Tennis Girl

Most historians believe that tennis originated in France in the 12th century, but the ball was then struck with the palm of the hand. It was not until the sixteenth century that rackets came into use, and the game began to be called "tennis." It was popular in England and France, although the game was only played indoors where the ball could be hit off the wall. Henry VIII of England was a big fan of this game, which historians now refer to as real tennis.
Harry Gem and his friend Augurio Perera developed a game that combined elements of rackets and the Basque ball game pelota, which they played on Perera's croquet lawn in Birmingham, United Kingdom. In 1872, along with two local doctors, they founded the world's first tennis club in Leamington Spa. The Leamington Courier of July 23, 1884 recorded one of the first tennis tournaments, held in the grounds of Shrubland Hall.