The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club was created in 1877 and with it the first Lawn Tennis Championships were organized. As Wimbledon website notes, the rules of the game today are similar to those drawn up in 1877 for that first tournament. Players change ends of the court at specified times during the game and take a short break. There are rules as to what a player can and can't do during this time.
Sequence
The players change ends in tennis after every odd-numbered game. So, after the first, third, fifth, seventh, and so on, the players change ends. If the set finishes on an even number of games, the players change ends after the first game of the next set and continue the same sequence. If the set finishes on an uneven number, the players switch ends straight away.
Time
In a professional tennis match, the players have a 90-second break at each change of ends. At the end of a set, this break is two minutes, but there is no subsequent break at the next change of ends. At the end of the break, the umpire will call ''Time,'' which is the cue for the match to continue. The players, ball boys and girls, and lines judges must take their positions.
Allowances
During the change of ends break, the players can drink liquids, including energy-enhancing sports drinks and gels. On a hot day a ball boy or girl will hold an umbrella over the player and provide them with some shade. The player can receive treatment for injuries within 90 seconds. If a player wants extended treatment or a toilet break he must call a timeout.
Updates
The International Tennis Federation is responsible for defining the rules of the game and updating them when necessary. Players used to be allowed to use electronic devices such as iPods during a change of ends, according to the U.S. Tennis Association. The ITF has outlawed cell phones, laptops, personal music players and any other forms of electronics during the game.
Tiebreak
The rules for change of ends during a tiebreaker are different. A tiebreak is when the set has reached six games all and the game goes into a seventh game to decide the set. During the tiebreaker, players change ends every six points, but do not get a 90-second break. Players do often take a quick drink, but the umpire hurries them along.
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