h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello there!

Let me at first state that this is an excellent entry. I enjoyed reading very much. You coped with very many details still leaving out some minor information. Good job , CP and SchrEck!

However, I have some questions and remarks concerning some of the details given. Either there is something slightly wrong there, or things have changed without me noticing:

1. History:
I think that you are right with tennis being played in monastic times. Recently, I read about tennis coming from the french word "tenez" (tenir = take, hold) that was commonly called when playing tennis in the courts of those medieval monasteries. I didn't know about Greek origins, yet.
Are squash and badminton older than tennis?

2. Scoring:
I think a "40-all" is not a "deuce". The latter is the score after at least one player has already had an advantage, isn't it.
The tie-break ends when one player won 7 points, whith 2 points ahead of the opponent.

3. Singles:
Swapping ends is also done during tie-breaks, namely after every 6 points played.
This two minute break every three games sounds not familiar to me. I think players have a break when swapping ends every two games.

4. Shots:
My feeling is that things may have got confused with topspin and slice shots. Introducing a spin on a ball always reduces speed necessarily. A forward spin (topspin) lets the ball bounce off the ground higher and farther. The ball goes over the net at a pretty high curve. The slice shot goes over the net in a pretty straight and low curve. The ball's backward spin lets it slip over the ground rather than bounce, so the opponent needs to bow his knees to the max to pick up the ball.
Forehand shots usually are easier to play than backhand shots, because you have more control. Therefore players often run around to avoid playing backhand shots to play forehand shots instead. Although forehand shots are strong - due to better control and training - backhand shots are more powerful if hit at the "sweat point", because of the longer lever.

But finally (again): Good job !!!

HP
»--.

Hi there!

Thank you for looking at my entry - I'll just answer your points!

1. Tennis beginnings - Possibly tenez... I only saw the Greek origin... but sounds interesting, but squash and badminton are definitely older than lawn tennis (plugs Badminton entry), but real tennis is the oldest.

2. Deuce is definitely called at 40-all, as when one player has an advantage but it returns to deuce (40-all) it becomes Deuce 2.

3. Players don't necessarily have a break every time they swap ends. Sometimes after a break they return to the same end.

4. Topspin on a forehand drive travels low and bounces low and wide, but on a serve it bounces high... the forward spin causes it to go faster... I like the thing about the power of shots! (I didn't deal with the physics of it all...

Thanks for your comments!

Caper Plip