What is the world record for the most tennis balls held in a dog's mouth?
A Golden Retriever named Finley set a Guinness World Record in 2020 by holding six tennis balls in his mouth at once.
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Tenni Facts
Tenni facts and facts about tennis, from the Random Facts shelf.
23 facts on this shelf
What game did tennis come from?
Tennis developed from "jeu de paume," a French game where players hit the ball with the palm of their hand.
Why is zero called "love" in tennis?
One popular theory says "love," meaning zero in tennis, comes from the French "l'oeuf" (egg), because an egg looks like a zero, but the origin is disputed.
What is the oldest tennis tournament?
Wimbledon, first held in 1877, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
What is the longest tennis match ever played?
The longest tennis match ever was between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010. It lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days.
What was the Battle of the Sexes?
In 1973's "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match, Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in front of a huge TV audience.
Why do players wear white at Wimbledon?
Wimbledon has a strict dress code requiring players to wear almost entirely white.
When did Wimbledon start using yellow tennis balls?
Wimbledon switched from white to yellow tennis balls in 1986.
What is a Golden Slam?
In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, the only "Golden Slam" in singles history.
How many Grand Slam singles titles did Serena Williams win?
Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era.
When was Hawk-Eye introduced in tennis?
Hawk-Eye line-calling technology debuted at a Grand Slam at the 2006 US Open.
How did table tennis begin?
Table tennis began in Victorian England as an after-dinner game played with books as nets and champagne corks as balls.
Is "Ping-Pong" a brand name?
"Ping-Pong" was originally a trademark owned by J. Jaques & Son in Britain and Parker Brothers in the US.
What was ping-pong diplomacy?
In 1971, the US table tennis team visited China in an event called "ping-pong diplomacy," which helped thaw relations between the two countries.
When did table tennis join the Olympics?
Table tennis became an Olympic sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Why did table tennis balls get bigger?
Table tennis balls grew from 38mm to 40mm in 2000 to slow the game down and make it easier to watch on TV.
Which country dominates Olympic table tennis?
China has won the large majority of Olympic table tennis gold medals.
Who introduced sponge rubber paddles?
Japan's Hiroji Satoh won the 1952 world championship with a sponge-covered paddle, which changed the game.
Why did table tennis switch to plastic balls?
Table tennis switched from celluloid balls to plastic balls in 2014, partly because celluloid is flammable.
When did table tennis games change to 11 points?
Table tennis games changed from 21 points to 11 points in 2001.
How high must a table tennis serve be tossed?
In table tennis, the server must toss the ball at least 16 centimeters into the air.
Why are strawberries and cream served at Wimbledon?
Strawberries and cream are a classic Wimbledon tradition.
How big is the surface area of the lungs?
The inner surface area of the lungs is roughly the size of a tennis court.