The modern rules of tennis date back to the late19th century. They were devised by the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Center, otherwise known as Wimbledon. The game's rules are now administered by the International Tennis Federation, the world-governing body for the sport. The Code of tennis, an adaption of the original code written by Colonel Nicholas Powel, sets forth a code of sportsmanship among players who do not have a referee to adjudicate their match.
History
The origins of tennis are uncertain. The consensus of historians is that the game was played in a courtyard with a ball by monks in the 11th or 12th century. There is a measure of mystery surrounding the origins of certain tennis terms such as "love," the numbers 15, 30 and 45 for scoring, and the meaning of the word "tennis" itself. Aristocrats in France, who learned the game from the monks, built indoor courts and developed gloves and later bats to hit a ball of cork. By 1500, a wooden framed racket with strings made from sheep intestines was used to smash the ball. When Charles Goodyear invented the vulcanization of rubber in 1850, tennis balls became sufficiently bouncy to enable people to play outdoors on grass. Major Charles Wingfield patented equipment and rules for the game in 1874, but his rules called for a court shaped like an hourglass and proved unpopular.
Modern Rules
In the late 19th century, the All England club decided to hold a tennis tournament and substantially revised the rules, substituting a rectangular court for an hourglass shape, lowering the net, allowing overhand serving which reduced the size of the service box and introducing the "let" rule. The rules have remained largely the same since 1882.
The Code
The subtitle of The Code states, "Player's Guide for Matches When Officials are Not Present." Although The Code is not part of the International Tennis Federation rules, it is considered a supplement to the rules that should be followed whenever you compete in an unofficial match. The first word of The Code sets the tone for the entire document -- "Courtesy is expected."
The Code and the Rules
Taken together, the rules of tennis and The Code reinforce and complement each other. Both make tennis a game where sportsmanship is intended to be central to the sport. The Code is also a practical guide that fills in the blanks in the rules. The preface of The Code states that it is a "summary of procedures and unwritten rules that custom and tradition dictate all players should follow ... If players of goodwill follow the principles of The Code, they should always be able to reach an agreement, while at the same time making tennis more fun and a better game for all." So, for example, The Code dictates that you should make the calls on balls on your own side of the net, while giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt on close calls, condemns grunting and other loud noises that may distract your opponent, and states that shaking hands is an acknowledgment that the match is concluded.
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