Showing posts with label Tennis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tennis. Show all posts

Friday, September 28, 2012

A Brief History Of Table Tennis

If you timer the sports channels on TV, near as ESPN, a lot, you ' re likely to arrest a game of table tennis every and so often. Table tennis, generally called ping pong, is played on a wooden table, with a functional ball and paddles unseen in rubber and a net disjoining the playing surface. It is sometimes called the miniature tragedy of tennis since the rules are since same.

Table tennis is a fun and stirring sport and it is easy to learn. A brimming advantage to bewitching up table tennis is that you don ' t compulsion to spend a lot of silver on hot property equipment. The most expensive part is obviously the table. You can find inexpensive ping pong sets, consisting of the net, 2 paddles and a number of balls, in almost any department store in the toy or sporting goods section.

The game of table tennis was invented in England in the 1880 ' s by rich Victorians looking for an activity to be played indoors. When the game was first played, books served as a net, a knot of string or a champagne cork was used as a ball and cigarette box lids were employed as paddles. Apparently people enjoyed this newly invented game with its make - shift equipment, since it continued to grow in popularity.

Improvements were made to the equipment during the early 1900 ' s. The balls were being made from celluloid and the paddles consisted of a piece of rubber glued to a wooden handle. The word ping pong originated because of the distinctive sound the ball made when hit with the rubber paddle. And Parker Brothers opted to go with the ping pong name when they introduced the game to the United States.

With the commercial availability of the equipment, the game continued to grow in popularity and the first tournament was held in 1902. In 1921 the Table Tennis Association was founded in England and less than 10 years later, the first World Championships also took place there.

Over time the sport spread to other parts of the world. In the Far Eastern countries, such as China, it is called ping pong, while in other countries similar terms in the native language are used.

The 1950 ' s rolled around and other innovations were made. As an example, a sponge layer was added to the paddles over the rubber, making the paddles lighter and easier for the players to use. And finally, after being around for more than a century, table tennis was included as an Olympic Sport in 1988.

In the latter part of 2000, the international body governing the rules of table tennis introduced more changes. They decided to increase the size of the plastic ball used in tournaments from 38mm to 40mm. This was an attempt to slow the game down a little. They also made changes to the way the game was scored, now using a 11 point system as opposed to the traditional 21 points, which makes each set fast and exciting for the players and spectators.

Enjoy your experiences with table tennis, and remember to keep your eye on the ball.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

History Of Tennis Wear Following The Fashion Trend

Through the age, people have become more intrepid in the way they clothes? since have sports outfits twin as tennis clothing items. It ' s interesting to exemplify the roots of tennis attire and how they evolved over the bygone years.

Men ' s Clothing

The earliest tennis garb for men were made up of cardigans or jumper vests, shirts, and long flannel knickers. In the 1930s, masculine tennis players changed their tennis outfits by tossing out flannel knickers in favor of shorts. British tennis entertainer Henry " Bunny " Austin holds the distinction of being the virgin top tennis trouper to wear white shorts in a tennis match. Since then, the standard fashion in terms of men ' s apparel included white shorts and pants. However, they were replaced by brightly colored lycra shorts. Some tennis players opted for blue denim shorts or loose shorts instead of the longer lycra shorts.

Fast forward to 2005? the time when men ' s tennis clothes started to keep pace with the boldness of modern tennis attire for women. In several tennis competitions, one can see male players sport Capri pants and tight - fitting lycra tops that reveal their muscular chests and abs. Modern tennis clothes for men also saw changes in terms of color. Quite a good number of men ' s apparel come in feminine colors such as hot pink.

Women ' s Apparel

The history of tennis clothes for women is quite similar to that of men. Women started to join tennis games in the 1860s. During that time, female tennis players wore modest clothing made of heavy materials such as serge or flannel. Tennis attire for women in the early days of tennis include corsets with high - collared blouses and neckties, long bustle skirts ( sometimes with fur ), and skimmer hats.

However, the fashion trend changed when Maud Watson won the Wimbledon Ladies ' Lawn Tennis Championship in 1884. Watson, the first woman Wimbledon champion, wore a white, long, bustled two - piece dress at that competition, popularizing the white tennis attire. Women realized that white was the best color for tennis clothes because it didn ' t reveal as much sweat stains as other colors. This started the so - called tennis whites that have dominated the tennis scene for many years.

Bustles, corsets, and hats ceased to be common fashion items in tennis between 1903 and 1914. After the First World War, it was French tennis star Suzanne Lenglen who set the tennis fashion trend. Lenglen wore a daring calf - length, short - sleeved cotton attire with white stockings under her skirt. The French tennis icon experimented with her sports apparel by wearing colorful silk chiffon, a headband, and shiny white stockings. Her ' revolutionary ' tennis attire caused a stir on the tennis court as spectators were used to the modest, and toned down attire of female tennis players.

In the 1920s, renowned American tennis player Helen Wills Moody become a trendsetter in female tennis attire because of her school - type sleeveless white blouse and pleated skirt with a fashionable eyeshades. She also added a lambswool cardigan on her apparel on cold days.

The post - World War II period saw women tennis players wearing apparel that made playing tennis easier and more comfortable. The apparel consisted of short - sleeved shirts, shorts or skirts, and caps.

In 1949, Gertrude Moran shocked tennis enthusiasts when she wore lace - trimmed panties beneath her white tennis dress. This started the bold fashion trend of tennis apparel that continues up to this day.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Short History Of Tennis

Tennis is now single of the most husky - liked sports all across the world. Tennis has excite one of the most liked sport in most countries. Now being concealed by big television and sponsorship, tennis is considered one of the richest sport in the world. The sport is played for concern and amateur tournaments by millions of folks. Players choose on their adulation of tennis following the styles of current champions Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and celebrated slam champions in Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, the Williams sisters, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, and many more. If you ' re a follower of the sport you would certainly recognize these names. How did the sport of tennis materialize? This sport is today on its unstoppable fame; it ' s alike becoming a contest about fashion.

When, who and how did the sport of tennis originate? The French invented a game they call " paume " substance palm on the 12th century where they promote their hands to procedure the ball. Within Europe the game became therefrom popular and universal that they contemporary using rackets and change the name " paume " to " jeu de paume ". In 1873, Major Walter Wingfield created a game called Sphairistik, which is a Greek word for " playing ball ", he first played it on a grass court in Wales. It was given the name " sticky " at first and used in most books about the history of tennis, then it became known as " lawn tennis ", from which the present outdoor tennis advanced.

Later in history, lovers of the game had the need to compete and prove their excellent skills of the sport, so amateur and professional tournaments were established. Today, there are several international tournaments including the four tennis Grand Slams. The first of the slam tournaments is the U. S. Open. It was in this tournament where the tie - break was introduced in 1970 to break the tie games between FD Robbins and Dick Bell that went on for 100 games. Second is the Wimbledon Tournament which is Britain ' s national championship and tennis grand slam. It was created in 1875 because of the growing popularity of tennis over croquet in England. The French Open is the third slam championship that was established back in 1891 and gained popularity in 1925. The Australian Open was included in the grand slam in 1905.

The sport continued to be popular; it became so ever popular as we know it today to the stage where it is likewise becoming a sport with the style. From tennis racquets used, to clothes, to shoes, to bags, even to head and wrist bands. They have all become so voguish and stylish not to mention that to complete the set of equipments and apparels for this game would fairly cost you. Celebrities have embraced the sport of tennis making it sort of controversial with the way players live the same life style.