Tennis and Switzerland
There’s no question: Tennis is a Swiss national sport. We tell you about the beginnings of the game of backstroke, reveal facts & figures and give you tips for all ages on the court.
Tenez!
In the High Middle Ages, in the north of what is now France, monks are said to have passed the time with a game. In the cloister, they would hit balls back and forth with their hands, shouting to each other, “Tenez la balle! – Take the ball!” Fun that even bishops joined in. Over the centuries, rackets and a net were added and a court was marked out instead of the cloister. The call “Tenez!”, which the British had a hard time pronouncing, eventually gave the sport its name: tennis.
Two inventors
Modern tennis, however, came into being just under 180 years ago – thanks in part to two clever minds. The process of vulcanization, developed by the chemist Charles Goodyear, made it possible to produce elastic rubber out of caoutchouc. This was the first time that small, robust tennis balls with great bounce were produced on an assembly line. Around the same time, Edwin Budding, a full-bloodied Englishman, was tinkering with his invention for the garden: the lawn mower. This novel machine not only cost half a dozen gardeners at Regent’s Park in London their jobs, but also trimmed tennis courts quickly and evenly from then on. Hardly surprising that the most prestigious grass tournament in the world was created in Wimbledon a few years later.
Tennis in Switzerland
Wimbledon – a special place for Roger Federer and Switzerland. The maestro won eight times and inspired an entire country to pick up a racket and hit balls over the net for more than two decades. Tennis is accordingly one of the most popular sports in Switzerland today. According to Swiss Tennis, the professional association for the sport of tennis, 51,571 licensed players play on 3,592 tennis courts. A total of 620,000 people in Switzerland serve the ball, from professionals to up-and-coming talent.
Tennis for kids
Lenk im Simmental organizes the children’s tennis course program for kids who want to swing the racket without their parents every now and again. From July to October, children from the age of 6 get the chance to hit balls over the net like little Federers, Wawrinkas or Bencics and fall in love with the sport of tennis. One special advantage: During the courses, tennis professionals are also on site, who are happy to help the youngsters with advice and support.
Well equipped
When the ball constantly lands out, not only children but also professionals are occasionally tempted to blame the equipment. Joel Bopp takes away this excuse, because he provides you with premium quality rackets, balls and shoes. A team of eight employees will give you professional, detailed and uncomplicated advice at his “Tennis Factory”. Discuss strings, stringing and balance points over a cup of coffee in the shop. Or use the online store. In the blog, you will find exciting news about products or events – for example, the “Tennis Factory” Ladies Night with canapés and drinks, music and great discounts.
