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Historical archive. Facts and results reflect the period recorded.
Crazy facts about tennis that you would not have expected
That tennis is a sport of high tactical and technical quality is beyond question. When the best players in the world meet, the world seems to stand still for a few hours. Nevertheless there are also crazy stories that make this sport something truly special. We take a closer look at some of these stories here.
What is that pineapple doing on the Wimbledon trophy?
Anyone who looks closely at the Wimbledon trophy will find a pineapple. But why? According to various sources and traditions, its prominent position has maritime roots. English sailors supposedly placed pineapples on their fence posts when returning home from a long voyage, symbolising a happy event. How tennis eventually became connected with seafaring remains unclear. Perhaps the spectators at the next Wimbledon final enjoy then not only strawberries and cream, but also take inspiration from the pineapple to try something new.
Tennisbälle waren einmal weiß
Anyone who dislikes the neon yellow of today’s balls may wish for the past. Wimbledon of all places was responsible for introducing yellow balls, replacing the former white version at the 1986 tournament. You can still buy the white version, incidentally. Why not use this new knowledge next time you shop?
The wondrous story of the first Olympic champion
The story of the first tennis Olympic champion is extraordinary. The competitions took place in Greece in 1896 and, despite the sport’s popularity at the time, did not include the world’s best tennis players. Instead, an Irishman triumphed after happening to be on holiday in Greece. His Greek friend entered John Pius Boland in the tournament, and he progressed easily through it. Afterwards he won with his German first-round opponent Friedrich Traun also the doubles title. Incidentally, in 1896 the winners received silver rather than gold for their success.
Endlich gleiches Prize money in London
When news broke in 2007 about equalizing prize money for the men’s and women’s tournaments, all those who had called for equality breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, it had taken a long time for this change finally to be implemented. In 2018, exactly 34 million pounds were distributed to the participants, with the two singles winners receiving 2,25 million pounds. Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber ultimately won the coveted pineapple trophies. For 2019, the Betway odds for another Kerber triumph at 8,00 (as of 22 September). Her biggest rival remains tennis icon Serena Williams.
11 hours and 34 minutes of nonstop entertainment
Tennis matches are fun, whether long or short, and Grand Slam players often prove it. The unforgettable three-day duel between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner took place at Wimbledon in 2010. Isner eventually won 6:4, 3:6, 6:7, 7:6 and 70:68, after 11 hours and 5 minutes of actual play. It was much faster between Steffi Graf and Natalia Zvereva: in the 1988 final, Zvereva had no chance at 0:6, 0:6, and it was over after 34 minutes.
Hands as better rackets?
How could tennis be played without its racket? What makes little sense to us today was once different. Before the racket was invented and used for the game in the 16th century, opponents faced each other with bare hands. Who today would not like a duel between the big names such as Rafael Nadal and the Serbian dominator of the tennis world Novak Djokovic see? Only the rallies might suffer somewhat from the lack of speed.
Warum ist Tennis voller "Love"?
In tennis, “love” is a term like “set point” or “break”. No one can determine exactly where it came from, but there are two theories. One refers to the French “l’oeuf”, essentially meaning zero. The other traces “love” to Dutch usage, perhaps “iets voor lof doen”, meaning that there is no stake in the game.
Whether with “love” or bare hands, crazy tennis stories are everywhere if you keep your eyes and ears open. Major matches are coming up again soon, with the ATP World Tour Finals and Davis Cup final, which all tennis fans are looking forward to!