TENNIS, a game of great antiquity, belongs to the class of ball-games, and finds its analogies in the sphairisis of the Greeks, and the piles of the Romans. Under the name of patame, a name given to it from the ball being at that time struck with the palm of the it is noticed in the Arthurian romances, and in the earlier records of the dark ages. In the 15th c. it was in great vogue in France among all classes, from the mon arch to the meanest of his subjects; and about this time the use of a heavy glove to protect the hand in striking the ball was introduced, and a further improvement was subsequently effected by the adoption of the rabket. The game in England kept pace with its progress in France, and, during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, was gen erally practiced under the name of tennis. Many modifications have been introduced, but the legitimate descendant of the pantile and tennis of former days is the present game of rackets. (See LAWN TENNIS). is played in a court 96 or 97 ft. long,
by 33 or 34 feet wide, and surrounded by walls sufficiently high to prevent the balls from being lost. The players are either two in number, or four, divided into two par ties. The player or party "in" serves the ball against the head-wall of the court, so as to rebound over a line drawn at a certain distance; it is returned by means of the racket by the player or party " out," who must make it rebound from the wall to the other side of the line; and the game is thus carried on till one player fails to strike the ball or cause it to rebound properly, If the player "in" fails, he changes places with the player "out; " if the latter fails, the former scores a point. The part of the court on which the player or party in is placed is called the "service" side; the other the " hazard " side. A similar game played without the racket is called fives, hand-tennis, •or handball