Tennis

Tennis is a racket sport played individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). The objective of the game is to hit a felt-covered rubber ball over a net and into the opponent’s court in such a way that the opponent is unable to return it. Tennis is played on a rectangular court divided by a net, which can be made of various surfaces including grass, clay, and hard courts. Points are scored when the opponent fails to make a correct service or return, and the game is marked by a unique scoring system: points are counted as 0, 15, 30, 40, and game. A match is typically played as the best of three or five sets, with players needing to win a certain number of games to win a set. Tennis is governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and has a rich history, with major competitions including the Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The sport emphasizes skill, agility, strategic thinking, and athleticism.