Baseline knowledge: Where tennis comes from and how the game has changed

Edith Johnson and Dorothea Lambert Chambers face off in the 1910 Wimbledon tournament in London. Lawn tennis — the game we know today — started in the late 19th century but has its roots in a medieval sport.

Recent years have seen an upswing in people playing tennis (or at least dressing like it). But it's not just a phase. The sport — at least some version of it — has been around since medieval times.

(Image credit: Paul Thompson)