Have you ever thought about the popularity of tennis? Those who think that it’s not a very widespread sport are mistaken because almost 90 million people worldwide are engaged in playing it. In addition, tennis is very popular among people who prefer watching sports on TV instead of playing them. Tennis allows competing individually or in teams with two players in each team. Moreover, tennis has been an Olympic sport since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
The advantage of tennis is that it’s one of those sports that can be played by people of all ages. For example, if you dream of starting figure skating in your 20s, you’re too old to do it. But if you want to try your hand at tennis, you’re free to do it at any time. Students whose colleges offer tennis programs may even compete at a professional level. Participation in college athletics gives many benefits but requires a lot of time as well. Fortunately, students may always pay someone to do homework and forget that heavy academic load makes them suffer.
Let’s learn more about the biggest world tennis championships.
1.  The Championships, Wimbledon
Even those who aren’t interested in tennis have heard about this championship at least once. And no wonder because it’s the oldest existing tennis tournament. Wimbledon is often considered the high-class championship, and those who participate in it are prestigious players. It belongs to the Grand Slam tournaments — the four biggest annual championships. The first Wimbledon was held in 1877. For the record, the prototype of today’s tennis emerged long before the first Wimbledon in the 11 century. Wimbledon is played on grass, and it’s the only tournament that requires players to do it. All tennis players dream about being invited to this championship because of its level and the prize fund: it exceeds 25 million GBP.
2.  US Open
The United States Open Tennis Championship also belongs to the Grand Slam tournaments. This one is played on a hard surface. The US Open is usually held in USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The first tournament was organized and held more than 100 years ago — in 1881. It’s the last majors’ championships in seasons; therefore, it’s often one of the most discussed ones. The level of attendance of this tournament grows every year. The 2020 US Open event was closed due to the pandemic; in 2018, more than 700,000 tennis fans attended this event. It’s partly because the US Open is held in New York. The city attracts people in itself, so they go there both to enjoy the event and the city as well.
3.  French Open, or Roland Garros
It’s the third major tennis championship held in Stage Roland-Garros in Paris. This stadium is named for the famous French pilot who is called the first air ace, who participated in an air race and set an altitude record. It’s played on clay, and athletes consider this type of surface difficult. French Open is yet the only major that is held on this surface. The championship lasts for two weeks in the late spring and the early summer. Wimbledon is the most prestigious tournament, whereas the French Open is the most physically difficult one. 130 Rolan Garros events have already been held since 1891. The last one ended recently and gave the tennis world new champions.
4.  Australian Open
It’s the last Grand Slam tournament that has been held in Melbourne Park, Australia, since 1905. The type of surface on the Australian Open is hardcourt. This surface consists of either concrete or asphalt covered with resin. It’s outdoor, but this type of surface is widely used in indoor courts. This championship is the first in the Grand Slam series season. This event is interesting because, besides the traditional categories (men/women, single/double/mixed), it also features wheelchair and legends categories. There are also exhibition events. Australian Open is among the most attended tournaments. Australian Open lets tennis fans see the birth of new stars and enjoy the performance of champions.
5.  Women’s Tennis Association Finals
These matches in played at the end of the season among professional women tennis players. WTA Finals usually take place in China, Shenzhen, from late October — the early November. To be qualified for this championship, women athletes need to participate not only in Grand Slam tournaments but also in 53 WTA tournaments that are held worldwide throughout one year. No wonder the WTA Finals is famous for the largest prize sum for the winner.
