United Kingdomcountry of origin
1873first recorded
1896Olympic debut
14disciplines & variants
5international bodies
Tennis is a ball game and racket sport. It originated in England (United Kingdom), with its first record dating to 1873. The sport is governed internationally by World Tennis (ITF). It has featured at the Olympic Games since 1896 (19 editions). Wikidata lists 14 disciplines or variants under it.
TypeBall games, Racket sports
Country of originEngland (United Kingdom)
First recorded1873
Players (as recorded)2–4
PractitionersTennis player, Tennis coach, Professional tennis player, Registered player
Governing bodyWorld Tennis (ITF), Asian Tennis Federation (ATF), Confederation of African Tennis (CAT)
Olympic statusOn the programme · since 1896
Family tree
Disciplines and variants
14
Beach tennisSportFootball tennisSport played with a ball over a net on a tennis-like playground,...Jeu de paumeType of sportRacketlonCombination of racquet sportsSoft tennisVariant of tennis, played with soft rubber balls instead of hard...Tennis doublesTennis disciplineWheelchair tennisSport of tennis adapted for participants in wheelchairs
Deck tennisSport played on a large boat
FrontenisRacket sport played in a three-walled court
Junior tennisTennis matches between players 18 and under
Paddle tennisGame adapted from tennis
Road tennisTennis variant
TouchtennisModified version of tennis with foam balls and shorter rackets
Type of tennis matchOverview about the types of tennis match
Olympic Games
Olympic history
Editions where Tennis or one of its disciplines was on the programme. Filled boxes mark the sport itself, outlined ones its disciplines; the small number is the count of medal events where recorded.
Multi-sport events
At other multi-sport games
| Games | Editions | First | Latest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Youth Olympic Games | 2 | 2014 | 2018 | 2014, 2018 |
| Summer World University Games | 30 | 1959 | 2025 | 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025 … |
| Central American and Caribbean Games | 24 | 1926 | 2026 | 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2023, 2026 … |
| Pan American Games | 18 | 1951 | 2023 | 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 … |
| Mediterranean Games | 17 | 1963 | 2026 | 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2018, 2022, 2026 … |
| Asian Games | 17 | 1958 | 2026 | 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2023, 2026 … |
| European Youth Olympic Festival | 11 | 1991 | 2023 | 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 … |
| Games of the Small States of Europe | 11 | 2003 | 2025 | 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025 … |
| Pacific Games | 8 | 1963 | 2023 | 1963, 1966, 1975, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 |
| African Games | 7 | 1965 | 2024 | 1965, 1978, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2024 |
| South American Games | 5 | 2010 | 2026 | 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 |
| Island Games | 5 | 2011 | 2023 | 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2023 |
| Islamic Solidarity Games | 3 | 2005 | 2017 | 2005, 2013, 2017 |
| Bolivarian Games | 3 | 2013 | 2022 | 2013, 2017, 2022 |
| Arab Games | 1 | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Commonwealth Games | 1 | 2010 | 2010 | 2010 |
| Military World Games | 1 | 2019 | 2019 | 2019 |
| South Asian Games | 1 | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 |
World level
World championships
| Championship | Organiser | First held | Every | Editions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Cup | World Tennis (ITF) | 1900 | 1 yr | 119 |
| Billie Jean King Cup | World Tennis (ITF) | 1963 | 1 yr | 65 |
Editions — seasons or tournaments recorded as separate entries in Wikidata.Nothing found — try another filter.
Governance
Governing bodies
What you need
Equipment and playing area
Playing area
Equipment