The Origins of Tennis

drawings or descriptions of any tennis-like games have been discovered, but a couple of Arabic words dating from ancient Egyptian times are cited as evidence. The theory goes that the name "tennis" is derived from the Egyptian town of Tennis alongside the Nile, and the word "racquet" evolved from the Arabic word for the palm of the hand, rahat. Aside from these two Arabic words, there is no other evidence for any form of tennis prior to the year 1000. Most historians believe the origins of the game date back to 11th- and 12th-century France. It's thought that French monks were the first to play a basic game of handball against their monastery buildings, or over a rope strung across a courtyard. Those who dispute more ancient origins argue that the name "tennis" is derived from the French tenez, which meant something to the effect of "take this," said as one player would serve to the other.