The origins of today’s game can be traced back to Major Harry Gem and his friend Augurio Perera, who combined elements of the racket game and the Spanish ball game called Pelota, playing it outdoors on a croquet lawn. Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, widely credited as the creator of the modern game of tennis, perfected the game and, in December 1873, created a new variation called Sphairistike. This name is derived from the ancient Greek meaning “skill in playing ball”. He also invented the equipment and published the rules.
