Tennis Facts: Rules, Gear, and What You Didn't Know About the Game

When you think of tennis, a global sport played on clay, grass, and hard courts with rackets and felt-covered balls. Also known as lawn tennis, it’s not just about serving and volleying—it’s a game shaped by century-old rules, precise equipment, and surprising traditions. You might assume tennis is all about power, but the real story is in the details: why the net is 3 feet high at the center, why balls are yellow, and why the Grand Slams don’t show up on Tennis TV.

Behind every match are tennis equipment, engineered gear like rackets with specific string patterns and balls pressurized to exact standards that affect spin, speed, and control. The same way running shoes need the right cushioning, a tennis racket’s weight and balance can make or break your game. And then there’s Grand Slams, the four biggest tournaments—Wimbledon, US Open, French Open, and Australian Open—that define the sport’s calendar. These aren’t just matches—they’re events with dress codes, traditions, and broadcast rights that keep them off mainstream streaming services like Tennis TV, which focuses on the ATP Tour instead.

People often assume tennis is easy to pick up, but the rules are full of quirks. Why is the score 15, 30, 40? Why do players change sides after every odd game? Why does Wimbledon still use grass when every other major uses hard courts? These aren’t random—they’re part of a system that’s stayed mostly unchanged since the 1800s. Even the balls have a story: they’re pressurized to 14 psi and replaced every nine games to keep play consistent. And if you’ve ever wondered why you can’t watch the Slams on Tennis TV, it’s because the tournaments sell broadcast rights separately—Wimbledon goes to the BBC, the US Open to ESPN, and so on.

What you’ll find below isn’t just a list of articles—it’s a collection of real, practical insights. From why tennis balls go flat over time to how the smallest change in racket tension affects your serve, these posts cut through the noise. You’ll learn what gear actually matters, where to find the biggest matches, and why some rules haven’t changed in 150 years. No fluff. No hype. Just the facts that help you understand the game better—whether you’re watching, playing, or just curious.