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Tennis - Stirling

Photo of a tennis racket and ballTennis can trace its origins to 12th-century French game called "paume" where players hit a ball over a net with the "palm" of their hand. The game evolved into "jeu de paume" (game of palm) and a racket was used instead.

In 1873, Major Walter Wingfield invented "Sphairistikè" (Greek for "playing ball"), and was originally played on an hourglass-shaped court. This game eventually became known as tennis.

Two years later, the All England Croquet Club replaced one of its croquet courts with a lawn tennis court. The Marylebone Cricket Club followed suit and added several innovations to the game, including a rectangular court, deuce and advantage.

In 1877, the first World Tennis Championship was held at Worple Road in Wimbledon.

Download the rules of tennis from the International Tennis Federation.
The Stirling Centre hosts nine floodlit courts for tennis, netball and five-a-side football.

Tennis coaching

The Stirling Centre offers coaching sessions for all abilities, from beginners to advanced, juniors and adults.

Mini-tennis

The centre also offers an exciting new mini tennis fun area for the under-11s. Adults can play on this area only if accompanied by a child.

Introduce four to seven-years-old to tennis and help develop their hand-to-eye co-ordination with the help of a fully qualified tennis coach.

All sessions must be booked in advance. Contact the centre for more information.

Book the outdoor tennis courts online.

 

For more information contact us by telephone: 01634 818422 or by email: leisure@medway.gov.uk

Write to: The Stirling Centre, 601 Maidstone Road, Rochester, Kent ME1 3QJ

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