The roots of this game was most likely in the 12th- century of France, so its lineage is impressively long. Originally, balls were simply slapped with the back of the hand, and Louis X was said to be a real fan of Jeu de Paume (Game of the Palm). The racquet-based, modern version of the sport arose in the second half of the 19th century in Britain. Soon it was enjoyed across the world, and its popularity shows no signs of abating.
The rules of play are basically the same as what they were in the 1890s. Each player, or team of 2 in a Doubles match, takes turns to serve the ball, and it is then rallied from one side of the net to the other.
The first player or team to land at least 4 points with a margin of 2 points wins the game. Each match consists of 3 or 5 sets, and there are at least 6 games in each set. Whoever gets to 6 games wins first, with a margin of at least 2 (such as 6-4 or 7-5) takes the set. Best of 3, or more commonly best of 5, sets, means winning the match. Tournaments are usually played as a series of knockout rounds, until the final champion emerges.