Every February 23rd is observed as National Play Tennis Day. This holiday is dedicated to the sport of tennis in all its forms and encourages people to get out and play some games with friends and/or family members.

Tennis is a sport that can be played by just about anyone, as long as they have access to a few basic pieces of equipment and a tennis court. It’s not only a good way for people to have a little bit of fun, but it’s also a good way for people to get a little bit of exercise.

The History of National Play Tennis Day

Tennis is a sport that historians have traced back to 12th-century France, where it was played much in the same way as handball is currently played. It started out with hitting a ball back and forth by hand, but then a black leather glove was added to the game.

Eventually, a stick was also added to this glove, which would end up creating the first tennis racket. As history rolled on, so did the evolution of this game until it became the game that we all know and love today.

Some Amazing Tennis Facts

We’re not going to let this day pass us by without taking the time to talk about tennis. So we’ve listed some amazing facts about this sport that we think will interest just about anyone. Let’s look at them, shall we, tennis lovers?

• The world’s oldest tennis court was built in 1526 and is still in use today. It’s the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court Palace in London.
• In the 1988 French Open Final, Steffi Graf won over Natasha Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in a match that was completed in 34 minutes.
• In 1972, yellow tennis balls were first introduced. They were used at Wimbledon for the first time in 1986.

Observing National Play Tennis Day

Grabbing a friend and hitting the tennis court is the perfect way to observe this holiday. It doesn’t matter if a person is just learning how to play tennis or if they’re a seasoned professional.

Of course, some people may want to just watch tennis on TV on this day, but allow us to remind these folks that this is National Play Tennis Day and not National Watch Tennis Day. With that being said, we encourage everyone to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalPlayTennisDay on social media.