Women's tennis
{{Short description|Tennis practiced by women}}
{{Expand French|topic=culture|date=February 2016|Tennis féminin}}
{{Infobox sport
| name = Women's tennis
| image = SLNSW 6396 Womens tennis at White City during Country Week.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| caption = Women's tennis at White City Stadium (Sydney) during Country Week
| union = International Tennis Federation
| nickname =
| first = Between 1859 and 1865, Birmingham, England
| registered =
| clubs =
| region = Worldwide
| contact = No
| team = Single or doubles
| mgender = Yes, separate tours {{&}} mixed doubles
| type = Outdoor
| category = Racket sport
| equipment = Tennis ball, tennis racket
| venue = Indoor or outdoor tennis court
| olympic = Yes, part of Summer Olympic programme from 1900 to 1924
Demonstration sport in the 1968 and 1984 Summer Olympics
Part of Summer Olympic programme since 1988
| paralympic = Yes, part of Summer Paralympic programme since 1992
}}
Women's tennis is one of the most popular female sports.{{cite news|title= History Is Why We Respect Women's Tennis|work= Jezebel|url= http://jezebel.com/history-is-why-we-respect-womens-tennis-1595333423|access-date=2014-07-18}} It is one of the few in which women command success and popularity that equal those of their male counterparts.{{cite web |url= http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2148497-examining-the-growth-and-popularity-of-womens-mixed-martial-arts|work=Bleacher Report |title= Examining the Growth and Popularity of Women's Mixed Martial Arts |access-date=2014-12-30 }}{{cite news|title= Billie versus Bobby – how one tennis match changed history|work= New Statesman|url= http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/05/billie-versus-bobby-how-one-tennis-match-changed-history|access-date=2014-07-18}} Women's Tennis Association is the main organization which runs female tennis.{{cite news|title= WTA pounces on growing popularity of Chinese tennis sensation Li Na|work= Australian|url= http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/wta-pounces-on-growing-popularity-of-chinese-tennis-sensation-li-na/story-fndkzym4-1226562999445|access-date= 2014-07-18|archive-date= 2014-12-29|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141229024946/http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/wta-pounces-on-growing-popularity-of-chinese-tennis-sensation-li-na/story-fndkzym4-1226562999445|url-status= dead}}{{cite magazine|title= Serena Williams' dominance unrivaled in women's tennis|magazine= Sports Illustrated|url= https://www.si.com/tennis/2013/05/14/serena-williams-wta-rivalries|access-date=2014-07-18}}{{cite news|title= Coming up short|work= Economist|url= https://www.economist.com/blogs/gametheory/2012/01/gender-and-tennis|access-date=2014-07-18}}
History
{{main article|History of tennis}}
Women's tennis was first included during the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, yet women's doubles were not implemented until 1920 during the Antwerp Games.
However, it wasn't until the founding of the Women's Tennis Association in the 1970's that the sport was formally established.{{cite news|title= WOMEN'S TENNIS, MONEY, AND THE UPHILL BATTLE FOR EQUALITY|work= Vice|url= https://besttennisracquets.net/|access-date=2015-05-18}}
One of the first superstars of women's tennis is Suzanne Lenglen, who after six titles won at Wimbledon and the Internationaux de France left amateur tennis to achieve a first professional tour in North America in 1926–1927.
Features of women's tennis
In women's tennis matches the ball is usually played without effect (less than lift) and games tend to play more from the baseline; typing is generally less powerful than men. The game is made in a more tactical speed and anticipation.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dRzACQAAQBAJ&q=tennis+f%C3%A9minin&pg=PA142 |title=Succčs en Tennis: La Science derričre les Performance |author=Cesar Coutinho |page=142 |website=Books.google.fr |date= June 2015|access-date=2016-02-02}} The service is also less powerful; it is relatively less important than for men. However, there has been a noted evolution in this field since the 1990s, women's tennis is improving and is growing more and more popular.{{cite magazine|title= Glam Slam: How Women's Tennis Is Making the Richest Sportswomen in History Even Richer|magazine= Time|url= http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2117785,00.html|access-date=2014-07-18}}{{cite news|title= Women's Tennis Changes Its Game|work= Newsweek|url= http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_12/b4220022715912.htm|access-date=2014-07-18}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Fastest Service Speed at Wimbledon !Player !Year !Service speed |
| Gabriela Sabatini
|1992 |146 km/h |
| Nathalie Tauziat
|1995 |159 km/h |
| Steffi Graf
|1998 |171 km/h |
| Kim Clijsters
|2004 |188 km/h |
| Amélie Mauresmo
|2006 |193 km/h |
| Venus Williams
|2007 |208 km/h |
| Sabine Lisicki
|2014 |211 km/h |
Controversy
Women's tennis has been marked by several cases, including cases of sexual abuse by trainers.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/03/29/book-world/255f20ed-24b8-46fb-88d9-6d54f14f3cd6/ |title=BOOK WORLD |date=1993-03-29 |author1=Grace Lichtenstein |newspaper=The Washington Post |place=Washington, D.C. |issn=0190-8286 |oclc=1330888409}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/11056|title=Has the #MeToo era finally dawned in women's tennis?|website=www.italianinsider.it}} The world of women's tennis has been described as "homophobic" and "sexist".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/sexism-centre-court/|title=Sexism on Centre Court|first=Dave|last=Zirin|date=July 6, 2009|via=www.thenation.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/silence-on-margaret-court-tennis-swerves-homophobia-debate-as-champion-is-honored/a-52178346|title=Silence on Margaret Court: Tennis swerves homophobia debate as champion is honored | DW | 28.01.2020|website=DW.COM}}
See also
Bibliography
- Le tennis féminin français, Vincent Cognet, Romain Lefebvre, Philippe Maria, Ed. du stade, 1999 ({{ISBN|2745602713}})
- Les dessous du tennis féminin, Nathalie Tauziat, ed. J'ai lu, 2001 ({{ISBN|2290312193}})
- N'oublie pas de gagner: Dans les coulisses du tennis féminin, Dominique Bonnot, ed. Stock, 20157 ({{ISBN|9782234078338}})
- Women's Tennis Tactics, Rob Antoun, Human Kinetics, 2007 ({{ISBN|9780736065726}})
References
{{Reflist}}
{{tennis box}}
{{Women's sports}}
{{Authority control}}