抖阴ap

We owe the name of the game and some of its terminology to the French.

Historians trace “tennis” to 11th- century French monks who would shout “tenez” (pronounced tuh- nay, from the French verb, tenir, “to take”) after they hit the ball, as a challenge to the opponent to “take this” or “there, try to get this one.” (Some might prefer this to today’s screams and grunts.)

“Love” comes from the French word “l’oeuf,” meaning “egg,” because a score of 0 looks like an egg.

Fast-forward to 1994, when Sports Illustrated asked “Is Tennis Dying?” The “Battle of the Sexes,” with Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, and rivalries between McEnroe/Connors and Evert/ Navratilova were way in the past; participation had dropped 40 percent from more than 30 million at tennis’ peak in the 1970s.

But the leaders in the tennis industry — equipment manufacturers, governing bodies and professionals — took this as a challenge to change rather than as match point.

They decided that, instead of marketing individual brands, they would market “tennis,” pouring millions of dollars into grassroots programs geared to promoting participation everywhere.

Participation is now at its highest levels since the 1970s, says Kurt Desautels of the U.S. Tennis Association of Colorado. More than 28 million people play tennis, thanks to tennis welcome centers, cardio-tennis programs and QuickStart, a tennis “Little League” for children under age 10, with smaller court dimensions and special equipment geared to smaller bodies.

The association has made multicultural participation a strategic priority and committed to include all ethnic groups in the sport’s growth.

Paula McClain is in charge of the association’s diversity outreach at the grassroots level throughout the state. “We have built strategic partnerships, initially targeting the various multicultural chambers of commerce and youth organizations, as well as political, business and community leaders,” she says.

The Celebrating Diversity TennisFest Series at the Denver Black Arts Festival and the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in July promoted tennis for children and adults. “These events give us access to larger groups of people so that we can build awareness of the sport and its many benefits,” says McClain.

To achieve greater diversity and inclusiveness statewide, the Colorado association offers grants for youth programs, works with school tennis programs, and partners with cultural groups to promote tennis. More information: 303-695-4116, .

Linda J. Buch