Tennis

Tennis is played on a court measuring 23.77 metres by 8.23 metres (10.97 metres in doubles), divided by a net: the serve is hit diagonally, points are won to win a game, games are won to win a set, and sets are won to win a match. The scoring system — 15, 30, 40, deuce — is a legacy of the medieval French ball games from which tennis derives. Its predecessor is pallacorda, played in France since the Middle Ages; the modern outdoor game was patented in 1874 as ‘lawn tennis’ by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, and the first Wimbledon tournament was held as early as 1877. Tennis has featured at the Olympics since 1896, but was dropped in 1924 due to the controversy over professionalism, before returning at the 1988 Seoul Games. At the highest level, the serve, court coverage and the ability to raise one’s game at decisive moments are crucial. The surface affects the game: on hard courts and grass, the bounce is low and fast; on clay, it is high and slow, favouring baseline players. At the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto in 2026, the tennis competition will take place from 25 to 31 August at the Circolo Tennis Magna Grecia, with five titles up for grabs: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

• 1Scoring per game (15, 30, 40, advantage); sets are played to 6 games with a two-game lead, and a tie-break at 6-all
• 2Two attempts at service, to be served diagonally over the net
• 3The ball may bounce only once before being struck; in doubles, partners may not hit the ball twice in succession
• 4In multi-sport tournaments, matches are generally played as best of three sets
• 5In Taranto, five titles up for grabs from 25 to 31 August at the Magna Grecia Tennis Club