Tennis originated from medieval France in the 12th century with a game called "jeu de paume" (game of the palm), played by striking a ball with the hand. It evolved over time with the introduction of rackets in the 16th century. The modern form of tennis, known as lawn tennis, was invented in 1873 by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in England. Wingfield patented the game and published the first set of rules, leading to the establishment of the first official lawn tennis tournament at Wimbledon in 1877. The term "tennis" likely comes from the French word "tenez," meaning "take this," used by servers in the game.
