网球运动历史解密：网球运动的前世今生

Each summer at the US Open, the world’s top tennis players smash rubber balls back and forth across a net, while crowds wait politely until the end of the match before cheering. Such is the modern sport of tennis, once the genteel pastime of the idle rich. First played in thirteenth-century France, tennis was an indoor sport, with players using the palms of their hands to hit the ball. Later, in the sixteenth century, people picked up rackets and headed to outdoor courts for the action. story

每年夏天，世界顶尖的网球好手都会齐聚美国网球公开赛，在球网两侧相互回击一颗橡皮球，观众则彬彬有礼地在一旁守候，直到比赛结束时才报以欢呼声。这就是现代网球运动的实况;在过去，这种运动可是有钱人用来消磨时光的上流社会休闲活动。网球起源于13世纪的法国，当时还是一种球员以掌心击球的室内运动。后来到了16世纪，人们才拿起球拍，走向户外球场从事这项活动。

Tennis is still much the same, although nowadays it’s enjoyed by people from all walks of life—not just aristocrats. Professional player Pete Sampras, for example, is the son of Greek immigrants to the US. He began playing as a child, hitting balls against the wall in his basement. Sampras soon dominated the courts, not because of pretensions, but because of his ability to“ace”the ball: Sampras can serve it so hard that opponents can’t return it.

网球运动至今并没有太大的变革，不过喜爱这项运动的人却遍及各行各业——而不仅仅是贵族了。举例来说，职业选手皮特·桑普拉斯是美籍希腊移民之子，小时候就在家里地下室对着墙壁击球，开始了他的网球生涯。桑普拉斯很快便纵横球场，靠的不是自命非凡，而是发球得分的能力：因为桑普拉斯发球力量很大，对手毫无还手的余地。