FRANCE

Country: France

Group Members: Christian, Kieran, Henny, Josh, Jaime

Sport/Activity: Tennis

History of the Sport:

Tennis originated in France in 12^th century from the French game ‘paume’ coming from the word palm. It soon became very popular and even was played by the French royalty. It soon spread to other European countries like Switzerland and Spain. The most famous tennis tournaments around the world are Wimbeldon -in London-, The U.S. Open, The Australian Open, and the French Open. The first Wimbeldon tournament was in 1877. In 1873, Major Walter Wingfield invented the game spharistike, which evolved into outdoor tennis.

Factors making the sport relevant to the country: Tennis originated from France in the 12th century.

Social Factors to the Country: One of the most presigeous tennis tournaments in the world takes place in France; The French Open.