Tennis

Kramer, for instance, still believes that Vines was the best ever.¹ Among the women, Lenglen and Wills Moody vie for the distinction of greatest of all time, along with several modern players: Court, Navratilova, Evert, and Graf. The popular Mexican resort towns of Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Cancún all suffered significant damage from Wilma, causing major loss of tourism income. Even among experts, however, no consensus exists as to who has been the greatest of all. The economic impact isn't limited to the United States, however. Roger Federer is considered by many commentators to have the most "complete" game in modern tennis, with the potential to challenge the achievements of these past greats. Furthermore, a long anticipated concert by the industrial rock band, Nine Inch Nails, expected to have taken place Monday, October 24th, was postponed to another date, yet to be announced. Since then, first Laver, then more recently Borg and Sampras, have been widely regarded as the greatest ever. Due to roof damage caused by Wilma and the loss of power at the BankAtlantic Center, the Panthers also had to postpone their October 29 matchup against the Washington Capitals.

For much of the 1950s and 1960s, many thought Gonzales had claimed that title. The NHL rescheduled its Saturday, October 22 regular-season game between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers to Monday, December 5. Until the mid-1950s, Bill Tilden was generally considered the greatest player ever, his only rivals being Vines, Budge, and Kramer. West Virginia vs South Florida has been rescheduled for Saturday, December 3. Among the women are Margaret Smith Court, Maria Bueno, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, Chris Evert, Hana Mandlíková, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, and Justine Henin-Hardenne. University of Miami has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 19. Among the greatest male players of the Open era are Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John Newcombe, Stan Smith, Guillermo Vilas, Arthur Ashe, Björn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg,Goran Ivanišević, Jim Courier, Pete Sampras, Marcelo Rios, Patrick Rafter, Andre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, and Roger Federer. Georgia Tech vs.

Doris Hart was the first player to win all 12 possible singles, doubles and mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. The NCAA postponed two college football games scheduled in south Florida on Saturday, October 22. Maureen Connolly was the first female player to win a Grand Slam in 1953. The NFL moved up its regular-season game between Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins to 7pm on Friday, October 21 in preparation of the hurricane. Among women the top two pre-Open era players are considered to be Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills Moody. Damage to sugarcane crops is critical and widespread. Other fine players of the pre-Open era include Maurice McLoughlin, "Little Bill" Johnston, the "Four Musketeers" (Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, and René Lacoste), Vinnie Richards, Jack Crawford, Vic Seixas, and Tony Trabert. Also, Florida's sugar Industry was hard hit, the cropping season had already started and had to be halted indefinitely.

Any one of these eleven would probably be competitive in today's game. As dynamic models have moved the storm's track east over Florida, oil futures eased as worries of another direct hit on the oil producing regions of the Gulf of Mexico subsided. Among them are "Big Bill" Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Bobby Riggs, Jack Kramer, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, Pancho Gonzales, Ken Rosewall, and Lew Hoad. ^[32]. Many great players played in the days before tennis's Open era, many of whom are unknown by modern sports fans. This is compounded by problems caused last year by Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne, which devastated Florida's orange crop, destroying many groves entirely. Each year, a grass-court tournament is hosted on the grounds that are home to the Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as an induction ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members. Wilma's potential for damage to orange trees in Florida could have an impact on several upcoming growing cycles.

The building contains a large collection of tennis memorabilia as well as a hall of fame honoring prominent members and tennis players from all over the world. Orange juice futures reached the highest level in six years on Wednesday, October 19, 2005, closing up 2.9 cents at $1.118 per pound. In 1954 James Van Alen founded the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a non-profit museum in Newport, Rhode Island. Many people later admitted they underestimated Wilma's power (Category 3) as she approached South Florida (Wilma was expected to weaken to a Category 1 as she reached the east coast), and failed to take the precautions that they would have taken with a stronger storm. Since the 1970s great champions have emerged from Germany (Boris Becker, Steffi Graf), the former Czechoslovakia (Ivan Lendl, Martina Navratilova, and Hana Mandlikova), Sweden (Björn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander), Brazil (Gustavo Kuerten), Russia (Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin), Belgium (Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne), Switzerland (Martina Hingis and Roger Federer) and from many other countries. Communication was also difficult -- land lines were damaged, while cellular towers were either damaged, without power, or overloaded in capacity. With the beginning of the Open era, the establishment of an international professional tennis circuit, and revenues from the sale of television rights, tennis has spread all over the world and has lost its upper-class English-speaking image. Much of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties were told to boil water.

In 1968, commercial pressures led to the abandonment of this distinction, inaugurating the Open era, in which all players could compete in all tournaments, and top players were able to make their living from tennis. Gasoline was in high demand for cars and generators; six-hour waits were not uncommon, due to lack of power to pump the fuel. Once a player turned pro he or she could not compete in the major (amateur) tournaments. Any traffic lights still standing were not working, causing an increase in traffic problems. For 42 years professional and amateur tennis remained strictly separate. Power outages in southeastern Florida, notably in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County, compounded the difficulties South Floridians faced following Wilma. The most notable of these early professionals were the American Vinnie Richards and the Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen. In addition, a tornado may have touched down in Miami-Dade County, causing damage to the South Beach Community Hospital.

("Cash and Carry") Pyle established the first professional tennis tour with a group of American and French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. Broward and Palm Beach counties were hit particularly hard by the many tornadoes in the western portion of the hurricane. In 1926 promoter C.C. Damage was widespread throughout South Florida. Winning the Grand Slam, by capturing these four titles in one calendar year, is the highest ambition of most tennis players. This prompted many residents to switch service providers [31]. Together these four events are called the Grand Slam (a term borrowed from bridge). Cable television and internet services as well as cell phone services were unavailable for up to 2 months in some areas.

Open, the French Open and the Australian Open (dating to 1905) became and have remained the most prestigious events in tennis. More than 20 days later, some residents and business owners remained without electric service. Thus Wimbledon, the U.S. Florida Power and Light, the largest electricity utility in the state, reported more than 3,241,000 customers had lost power, equivalent to approximately 6,000,000 people. It was also popular in France, where the French Open dates to 1891. Hurricane Wilma caused widespread destruction of critical infrastructure, including power, water and sewer systems. Tennis was for many years predominantly a sport of the English-speaking world, dominated by the United States, Britain and Australia. The airport has reported $12 million in damages, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The Davis Cup, an annual competition between national teams, dates to 1900. In Boca Raton, a city in southeastern Palm Beach County, the local Boca Raton Airport suffered extensive damage, including the collapse of two hangars, planes flipped over, and hangar doors blown in. National Women's Singles Championships were first held in 1887. At least three deaths are blamed on Hurricane Wilma in Collier County and widespread wind and water damage is commonplace across the county. The U.S. Widespread roof damage is evident across the county outside of the City of Naples itself. Open, was first held in 1881 at Newport, Rhode Island. 90% of all mobile homes in East Naples have been destroyed, while 30% of the mobile homes in all of Collier County suffered the same fate.

National Men's Singles Championship, now the U.S. There has been damage to the 90 high-rise condominiums in Coastal Naples, where some levels have been blown out completely by the high winds brough by the storm (much like the damage in downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale). U.S. Out of the 170 signaled intersections in Collier County, 130 have been destroyed. rules promulgated in 1924 have remained remarkably stable in the ensuing eighty years, the one major change being the addition of the tie-breaker system designed by James van Alen. The Naples Airport was severely damaged by the hurricane, while areas like Immokalee and East Naples extreme and widespread roof damage to numerous homes and communities. The comprehensive I.L.T.F. The point of landfall, between Marco Island and Everglades City, is largely uninhabited but the communities around landfall suffered extreme damage.

In 1881 the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (now the United States Tennis Association) was formed to standardize the rules and organize competitions. Hundreds in the county, if not thousands, have been left homeless by the category three hurricane. The first championships at Wimbledon, in London were played in 1877. The Naples Metropolitan Area received the brunt of Hurricane Wilma. In 1881 the desire to play tennis competitively led to the establishment of tennis clubs. Even while the center of Wilma was still a long way away from Florida, its effects were already being felt with its expansive outer bands. at the home of Mary Ewing Outerbridge on Staten Island, New York in 1874. Some Miami high-rises also suffered severe damage during the storm.

It was first played in the U.S. In the city of Fort Lauderdale, in Broward County, several highrise buildings suffered extensive damage, including the 14-floor Broward County School Board building and the Broward County Courthouse, which was forced to remain closed for two weeks as a result of the storm, along with Broward County Public Schools, which remained closed for two weeks. Tennis spread rapidly among the leisured classes in Britain and the United States. Key West was under 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 metres) of water from the storm surge, and major flooding was reported throughout the Keys. Seeing the commercial potential of the game, Wingfield patented it in 1874, but never succeeded in enforcing his patent. Early reports suggested the damage from Wilma was extensive and widespread over South Florida due to winds and flooding. According to most tennis historians, modern tennis terminology also derives from this period, as Wingfield borrowed both the name and much of the French vocabulary of royal tennis and applied them to his new game:. ^[30].

He based the game on the older sport of indoor tennis or real tennis ("royal tennis"), which had been invented in 12th century France and was played by French aristocrats down to the time of the French Revolution. ^[29] The city of Havana was also without power and wind damage was reported as a result of winds up to 85 mph (140 km/h). In December 1873, Major Walter Clopton Wingfield devised a similar game for the amusement of his guests at a garden party on his estate at Nantclwyd, Wales. Over 250 homes were heavily flooded and rescuers required scuba gear, inflatable rafts and amphibious vehicles to reach the most severely flooded areas. The Courier of 23 July 1884 recorded one of the first tennis tournaments, held in the grounds of Shrubland Hall (demolished 1948). Coastal flooding was reported in many areas due to Wilma's storm surge and flooding from the outer bands, particularly around Havana. In 1874 they formed the Leamington Tennis Club, setting out the original rules of the game. [28].

Wellesley Tomkins to found the first lawn tennis club in the world, and played the game on nearby lawns. [27] It was the costliest natural disaster in Mexican history, according to local insurers. A. Insured damage in Mexico is estimated at between $1-3 billion, which would likely translate to $2-6 billion (USD) in total damage. Frederick Haynes and Dr. The destruction left behind by Wilma in the Yucatán has also severely damaged the tourist industry there, as the storm affected some of the tourist hot spots of Mexico. Pereira joined with Dr. [26].

In 1872 both men moved to Leamington Spa, and with two doctors from the Warneford Hospital, played pelota on the lawn behind the Manor House Hotel (now residential apartments). The road trip to Mérida was very dangerous and impassable for Taxi yet people still payed upwards of $200 for a ride. The game was played on a lawn in Edgbaston. US embasy told tourist to go to Mérida, the next day they changed their game plan because Mérida had become so packed with people. In 1859 Major Thomas Henry Gem, a solicitor, and his friend Batista Pereira, a Spanish merchant, who both lived in Birmingham, England played a game they named "pelota", after a Spanish ball game. Buses have begun to come into Cancún from Mérida, where tourists are hoping to find flights home. Tennis has a long history (deriving from the 'jeu de paume'), but its establishment as the modern sport can be dated to two separate roots. Thousands of tourists remain stranded in shelters, and the priority is sending them home now, according to President Vicente Fox.

system called the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP): 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, etc.) which is adjusted periodically to maintain competitive matches. After Wilma passed, there was a sense of desperation that developed in the region, due to the fact that people were being held in shelters due to the extensive damage. According to how well a person does in sanctioned play, he or she is given a rating (examples from the U.S. ^[25]. Players may also be matched by their skill level. There have also been extensive reports of looting of many businesses in the Yucatán, particularly in Cancún. In the four grand slams, the draw (the maximum number of players allowed in a particular category of the tournament) is 128 people. Communication is limited at this point as telephone and electric services are completely out in the affected areas.

There are also tournaments for handicapped players. It is comparable to the scene after Hurricane Emily back in July 2005, a storm of similar intensity but faster moving. Tournaments may be arranged for specific age groups, with upper age limits for youth and lower age limits for senior players. On Cozumel, the damage is extensive, but not as catastrophic as originally feared according to a witness, with many broken windows, fallen trees and power lines but less in the way of structural damage. Common tournament configurations include men's singles, women's singles, doubles (where two players of the same sex play on each side), and mixed doubles (with a member of each sex per side). The Governor of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto, said in an interview: "Never in the history of Quintana Roo have we seen a storm like this." ^[24]. Tournaments are often organized by gender and number of players. ^[23].

Finally, if an opponent is deep in his court, a player may suddenly employ an unexpected drop shot, softly tapping the ball just over the net so that the opponent is unable to run in fast enough to retrieve it. ^[22] One gymnasium used as a shelter lost its roof, which forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people staying there. If the lob is not hit deeply enough into the other court, however, the opponent may then hit an overhead smash, a hard, serve-like shot, to try to end the point. Rainfall amounts in excess of 23 inches (590 mm) were reported in several areas, with Isla Mujeres reporting 64 inches (1,637mm) — three times what Hurricane Gilbert dropped. From a poor defensive position on the baseline, the lob can be used as either an offensive or defensive weapon, hitting the ball high and deep into the opponent's court to either enable the lobber to get into better defensive position or to win the point outright by hitting it over the opponent's head. Several homes had also collapsed. The half-volley is made by hitting the ball on the rise just after it has bounced, once again generally in the vicinity of the net. However, according to pictures and television reports, there is extensive structural damage throughout the Cancún area, as well as significant flooding and many downed trees and power lines and scattered debris.

A volley is made in the air before the ball bounces, generally near the net, and is usually made with a stiff-wristed punching motion to hit the ball into an open area of the opponent's court. Information on damage remains unclear.
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. A small number of players, notably Monica Seles, use two hands on both the backhand and forehand sides. Heavy damage to coastal areas was reported, and parts of the northwestern area of the island were washed out from the surge. Ken Rosewall, another player noted for his one-handed backhand, used a deadly accurate slice backhand with underspin through the 1950s and '60s. The northwestern Bahamas, particularly Grand Bahama Island, received a storm surge that was reported as high as 15 feet in some areas.

The player long considered to have had the best backhand of all time, Don Budge, had a very powerful one-handed stroke in the 1930s and '40s that imparted topspin onto the ball. poisoning, illnesses, waiting for help). Two hands give the player more power, while one hand can generate a slice shot, applying backspin on the ball to produce a low trajectory bounce. Indirect deaths indicate those caused by hurricane-related accidents (including car accidents, fires or other incidents), as well as clean-up and evacuation incidents and health issues (e.g. The two-handed grip gained popularity in the 1970s as Björn Borg, Chris Evert, Jimmy Connors and later Mats Wilander used it to great effect, and it is now used by a large number of the world's best players, including Andre Agassi and the Williams sisters. Direct deaths indicate those caused by the direct effects of the winds, flooding, tornadoes, storm surge or oceanic effects of Wilma. The first notable players to use two hands were the 1930s Australians Vivian McGrath and John Bromwich. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21].

For most of the 20th Century it was performed with one hand, using either an eastern or a continental grip. Wilma was also blamed for at least 26 indirect deaths. It can be executed with either one or both hands. In addition, a drowning was reported on Maule Lake in northern Miami-Dade County from a capsized boat. The backhand, which is struck by swinging the racquet away from one's body in the direction of where the player wants the ball to go, is generally considered more difficult to master than the forehand. ^[16] Three more direct deaths were reported in Florida, one in rural Collier County and two in Palm Beach County, all due to wind-blown debris. In the 1940s and 50s the Ecuadorian/American player Pancho Segura used a two-handed forehand to devastating effect against larger, more powerful players, and many female and young players use the two-handed stroke today. CNN reports that a Coral Springs man who was inspecting damage during the eye of the hurricane was killed by a falling tree, according to a Broward County official.

No matter which grip is used, most forehands are generally executed with one hand holding the racquet, but there have been fine players with two-handed forehands. At least 35 Hurricane Wilma-related deaths were reported in the United States, all in Florida. Few top players used the western grip after the 1920s, but in the latter part of the 20th century, as shot-making techniques and equipment changed radically, the western forehand made a strong comeback and is now used by many modern players. ^[15]. For a number of years the small, apparently frail 1920s player Bill Johnston was considered by many to have had the best forehand of all time, a stroke that he hit shoulder-high using a western grip. In Cuba, a bus carrying evacuees crashed, killing four people, including three foreign tourists. The most important ones are the Continental, the Eastern, and the Western. ^[14].

There are various grips for executing the forehand and their popularity has fluctuated over the years. Another death was reported in the state of Yucatán due to a falling tree, but no other details were available. Then swing up and across to get the right amount of spin. Four deaths have also been reported on Cozumel and another in Cancún due to wind blowing a window out. The forehand is accomplished by starting the racquet above the height of the ball, and then dropping the racquet head behind your body. Two were in the Playa del Carmen area due to a gas explosion caused by the strong winds. A winning serve that is not touched by the opponent is called an ace. At least eight deaths were reported in Mexico.

Some servers are content to use the serve simply to initiate the point; advanced players often try to hit a winning shot with their serve. ^[13]. A reverse spin serve is hit in a manner that spins the ball opposite the natural spin of the server, the spin direction depending upon right- or left-handedness, while a severely sliced serve is sometimes called a sidespin. Almost 250 people were in emergency shelters on the island. The server may employ different types of serve: a flat, a top-spin, an American twist (or kick), a reverse spin, or a slice serve. It pounded the island for a third day on October 18, 2005, flooding several low-lying communities and triggering mudslides that blocked roads and damaged several homes. The serve is initiated by tossing the ball into the air and hitting it (usually near the apex of its trajectory) into the diagonally opposite service box without touching the net. Wilma claimed one death in Jamaica as a tropical depression on Sunday, October 16.

A serve (or, more formally, a service) in tennis is a shot to start a point. ^[12]. A competent tennis player has eight basic shots in his or her repertoire: the serve, forehand, backhand, volley, half-volley, overhead smash, drop shot, and lob. Mudslides were triggered from the outer bands in Haiti, killing at least 12 people. The first player or team to four points wins the game. The last places to issue this warning sat within the gap between bands as tornadoes were observed as far north as Sumter, Marion, Pasco, and Polk Counties. No-ad: You play through the match without any ads. Anticipating high winds all public school districts south of Marion closed their schools on Monday, October 24 in order to prevent possible harm to county employees and students.

This is played like a regular tie-break but you go to ten instead of seven. ^[11]. It decides who wins instead of a third set. Curfews were put in place for several cities in Lee and Collier counties. Super tie-break: This is played sometimes after players split sets (Each wins one set). Hurricane shelters in the area were opened. All other rules apply. Other areas that were included in the mandatory evacuation were Seagate, Parkshore, The Moorings, Coquina Sands, Olde Naples, Aqualane Shores, Port Royal and Royal Harbour.

A pro set is first to 8 games instead of 6. Mandatory evacuations were in effect for all Collier County residents living West or South of US 41. Pro set: Instead of playing best out of three sets, players may play one pro set. All campuses of the University of South Florida, the University of Tampa and the University of Central Florida were closed on Monday, October 24. During highschool tennis team matches players may have to follow a few different rules:. Petersburg, Florida also evacuated by 5 pm EDT on October 20. The scoring is the same as a regular game. Eckerd College in St.

For the single person, single court rules apply (such that the ball must be within the singles court lines) but on the side of the doubles team, doubles court rules apply (the alleys are considered in). Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers completed an evacuation; classes were canceled until further notice. This involves three players, with one person playing against a doubles team. ^[10]. Another tennis format is called "Australian doubles" (Sometimes referred to as "Canadian doubles" or "Korean doubles"). The schools were closed to "allow parents and staff to prepare for the storm and potential evacuation", and also allowed "for needed preparation of schools to be used as hurricane shelters." The schools remained closed on Monday, October 24 as the hurricane made landfall. In such cases, the extra bounce is permitted for the wheelchair users only. Also in Florida, all Collier County public schools were declared closed for Friday, October 21.

It is possible for a doubles team to consist of a wheelchair user and a legs user, or for a wheelchair user to play against a legs user. At least 300 Keys evacuees were housed at the Monroe County shelter at Florida International University in Miami-Dade County ^[9]. This rule makes it possible to have mixed wheelchair and legs matches. County offices, schools and courts were closed Monday, October 24. In wheelchair tennis, in which the players move in wheelchairs instead of using legs, an extra bounce is permitted. However, reports suggest that as many as 80% of residents may have ignored the evacuation order. There is an exception for those who are only able to propel themselves using a foot. A mandatory evacuation of residents was ordered for the Florida Keys in Monroe County.

The use of legs or feet is then prohibited, and the player is required to remain seated in the wheelchair. ^[8]. Wheelchair tennis can be played by able-bodied players as well as people who require a wheelchair for mobility. In all, over 368,000 people were ordered to evacuate. Continuity of the balls' condition is considered part of the game, so if a re-warm-up is required after an extended break in play (usually due to rain) then the re-warm-up is done using a separate set of balls, and use of the match balls is resumed only when play resumes. In Cuba, preparations were made to evacuate four western provinces, including the Isle of Youth ^[7]. The first such change occurs after only seven games, because the first set of balls is also used for the pre-match warm-up. In El Salvador, the National Emergency Committee was activated.

Balls wear out quickly in serious play, and therefore are changed after every nine games. In Nicaragua, civil organizations were ordered to make hurricane preparations. Other than this, breaks are permitted only when forced by events beyond the players' control, such as rain, damaged footwear, or the need to chase an errant ball. ^[6]. This is increased to 90 seconds when the players change ends (every two games), and a 120 second break is permitted between sets. In neighboring Yucatán, classes were also suspended in 18 coastal municipalities. In most cases, service is required to occur no more than 20 seconds after the end of the previous point. Classes were suspended in the state's northern municipalities and residents of coastal areas were advised to take refuge further inland; tourists in the resort city of Cancún and its adjacent islands were told to return to their places of origin or head inland.

Stamina is a relevant factor, so arbitrary delays are not permitted. Quintana Roo government officials declared a red alert on the evening of Wednesday, October 19. A tennis match is intended to be continuous. On October 25, the storm gradually began weakening and was classified extratropical late in the afternoon, south of Nova Scotia, still at hurricane strength and affecting a large area of land and ocean with stormy conditions. This is the case for many high school and college level matches. Unexpectedly, Wilma strengthened again over the Gulf Stream and again became a Category 3 hurricane north of the Bahamas, having regained all the strength it lost within 12 hours. In some leagues players will make their own calls based upon the honor code. Passing over the Florida peninsula, Wilma weakened slightly to a Category 2 hurricane, its strength when it exited Florida and entered the Atlantic about six hours later.

The referee, who is usually located off the court, is the final authority on the rules. At landfall in Florida, Wilma had sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). They have no adjudicative role. The reintensification of Hurricane Wilma is attributed to its interaction with the warm Loop Current in the Gulf. Ball boys or girls (who are usually children) may be employed to retrieve balls, pass them to the players, and hand players their towels. Despite encountering significant wind shear in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Wilma had regained some strength before making its third landfall just north of Everglades City, Florida, near Cape Romano, at 6:30 am EDT October 24 (10:30 UTC) as a Category 3 hurricane. There may also be a net umpire who determines whether the ball has touched the net during service. Many houses were flooded with 1 to 2 feet of seawater.

The chair umpire may be assisted by line umpires, who determine whether the ball has landed within the required part of the court and who also call foot faults. Most streets on Key West and nearby islands were flooded with at least 3' of seawater that destroyed tens of thousands of vehicles. The umpire has absolute authority to determine matters of fact. After the hurricane had passed, a storm surge of up to 10 feet from the Gulf of Mexico completely inundated a large portion of the lower Keys. In serious play there is an officiating chair umpire (usually referred to as the umpire), who sits in a raised chair to one side of the court. on Monday, October 24. See Tennis score for a description of both tie break scoring and its history. The center of the eye was directly over the metropolitan areas of South Florida at 10:30 a.m.

A tiebreak game, played under a separate set of rules, allows one player to win one more game and thus the set, to give a final set score of 7-6. Several cities in the South Florida Metropolitan Area, which includes Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, suffered severe damage as a result of the intense winds of the rapidly moving system. A tiebreak game is sometimes played when the score for the set is presently 6-6. The storm made landfall on the southwest coast of Florida and cut a diagonal swath across the southern portion of the Florida peninsula, with the northern part of the eye wall crossing into south and central Palm Beach County. Should the player in the lead take any one of those points, he wins the game (set, etc.). The storm's eye was now approximately 35 miles (56 kilometres) in diameter. If the player who is serving has a score of 40-love, he has a triple game point (triple set point, etc.). Hurricane Wilma's southeast eyewall passed the near the island of Key West in the lower Florida Keys early on the morning of October 24, 2005.

For example, if the player who is serving has a score of 40-15, he has a double game point (double set point, etc.). The hurricane began accelerating in the early morning of October 23, exiting the northeast tip of the Yucatán Peninsula and entering the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane. It may happen that the course of play has been such that the player who is in the lead in the game has more than one chance to score the winning point, even if his opponent should take the next point(s). Some portions of the Yucatán Peninsula experienced hurricane-force winds for well over 24 hours. It is of importance in professional tennis, since service breaks happen less frequently with professional players. The eye slowly drifted northward, with the center passing just to the west of Cancún, Quintana Roo. A break point occurs if the returner, not the server, has a game point. Portions of the island of Cozumel experienced the calm eye of Wilma for several hours, with some blue skies and sunshine visible at times.

The terminology is extended to sets (set point), matches (match point), and even championships (championship point). The hurricane's eye first passed over the island of Cozumel, and then made official landfall near Playa del Carmen in the state of Quintana Roo around midnight on October 22 EDT, with winds near 140 mph. A game point occurs in tennis whenever the player who is in the lead in the game (the smallest unit of play) needs only one more point to win the game. On October 21, Hurricane Wilma made landfall on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula as a powerful Category four hurricane, with winds over 150 mph. The running score of each game is described in a manner particular to tennis: scores of zero to three points are described as "love" (or "zero"), "fifteen", "thirty", and "forty" respectively. These wind speeds indicate that the low ambient pressure surrounding Wilma caused the 882 mb (26.05 inches) pressure to be less significant, involving a lesser pressure gradient, than under normal circumstances. A game consists of a sequence of points played with the same player serving, and is won by the first player to have won at least four points and at least two points more than his opponent. Before Wilma, no storm had recorded pressure less than 900 mb (26.58 inches) without being at Category 5.

If a tiebreak is played, the set is determined by the winner of the next game, and is scored as 7-6. (In comparison, Hurricane Gilbert, the previous Atlantic record holder, had a pressure of 888 mb (26.22 inches) and also had winds of 185 mph.) In fact, at one point after Wilma’s period of peak intensity, it had a pressure of 894 mb (26.40 inches) but was actually below Category 5, with winds of just 155 mph. It has become common, however, to play a one game tiebreak when each player has won six games. 185 mph may seem incredibly fast, but for an 882 mb (26.05 inches) hurricane it is actually quite slow. Typically, a player wins a set when he wins at least six games and at least two games more than his opponent. However, Wilma's winds were somewhat slower than the 196 mph implied by an 8 on the Dvorak scale. A set consists of a sequence of games played with service alternating between games, ending when the count of games won meets certain criteria. Such a conversion would suggest that Wilma was more intense than Tip, were normal considerations in play.

Some matches may consist of five sets (the winner being the first to win three sets), while most matches are three sets (the winner being the first to win two sets). Indeed, under normal circumstances the Dvorak matrix would equate an 890 mb storm in the Atlantic basin -- a CI number of 8 -- with an 858 mb storm in the Pacific. The match ends as soon as this winning condition is met. These are closer to ambient pressures in the northwest Pacific basin. Matches consist of an odd number of multiple sets, the match winner being the player who wins more than half of the sets. Hurricane Wilma existed within an area of ambient pressure that was unusually low for the Atlantic basin, with ambient pressures below 1010 mb. A set consists of a number of games, and games, in turn, consist of points. The cyclone must be more intense to get its pressure commensurately lower, and its larger pressure gradient would make its winds faster.

A tennis match usually comprises one to five sets. If two cyclones have the same minimum pressure, but one is in an area of higher ambient pressure than the other, it is in fact stronger. The first player or team to fail to make a legal return loses the point. The greater the gradient, the faster the winds generated. It then travels back over the net and bounces in the court on the opposite side. The change in pressure over a distance, the pressure gradient, causes hurricane winds. A legal return consists of the player or team hitting the ball exactly once before it has bounced twice or hit any fixtures. The minimum central pressure in a tropical cyclone is the best indicator of intensity, because pressure can be precisely measured while wind speeds have to be estimated, but more importantly, because the difference between a hurricane's low central pressure and the pressure of the surrounding environment is what drives the hurricane's strength.

A legal service starts a rally, in which the players alternate hitting the ball across the net. Super Typhoon Tip is the most intense tropical cyclone on record with a central pressure of 870 mbar (25.69 inHg). If the second service is also faulty, this is a double fault and the receiver wins the point. While Wilma was the most intense hurricane (a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic, Central Pacific or Eastern Pacific basins) ever recorded, there have been many more-intense typhoons in the Pacific (see link in the next section). If the first service is otherwise faulty in any way, the serving player has a second attempt at service. Wilma was the first hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin (and possibly the first tropical cyclone in any basin), to have a central pressure below 900 mbar (26.58 inHg) while at Category 4 intensity (in fact, only two other Atlantic hurricanes had lower recorded central pressures than Wilma's at this point: the previous record holder, Hurricane Gilbert of 1988, and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935). If the ball hits the net but lands in the service court, this is a let service, which is void. By 11 pm EDT (03:00 UTC October 20), Wilma's pressure had risen to 894 mbar (26.40 inHg) as the hurricane weakened to Category 4, with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h).

In a legal service, the ball travels over the net (without touching it) and into the diagonally opposite service court. The pressure dropped further to 882 mbar (26.045 InHg) three hours later before rising slowly in the afternoon (while the storm remained a Category 5 hurricane). When the receiver is ready, the server will serve. Shortly thereafter, Wilma set the record for the lowest central pressure recorded in an Atlantic hurricane when the pressure dropped to 884 mbar (26.10 inHg) at 8 am EDT (12:00 UTC) on October 19. The receiver may stand anywhere on his side of the net, usually behind the diagonally opposite service box. ^[5]. For each point, the server stands behind his baseline, between the center mark and the sideline. During its intensification on October 19, the hurricane's eye shrank to as small as 1.5 to 2.0 nautical miles in diameter, becoming one of the smallest eyes ever seen in a tropical cyclone.

Service alternates between the two halves of the court. With Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina and Rita, 2005 became the first year on record in which three Category 5 hurricanes developed in the Atlantic basin. One player is designated the server, and the opposing player, or in doubles one of the opposing players, is the receiver. ^[4]. The players (or teams) stand on opposite sides of the net. The global record deepening is 100 mbar (hPa) by Super Typhoon Forrest in 1983. Open and Australian Open use hardcourts (though they used grass courts and clay courts in the past), the French Open is played on clay, and Wimbledon is played on grass. Wilma's rapid deepending set a new record for the Atlantic basin, and is one of the most rapid deepening phases ever undergone by a tropical cyclone anywhere on Earth.

Of the Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S. (In comparison, Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 – the previous recordholder for lowest Atlantic pressure – recorded a 78 mbar (2.30 inHg) pressure drop in a 24 hour period for a 3 mbar/h pressure drop.). Grass courts add an additional variable, with bounces depending on how healthy the grass is and how recently it has been mowed. In the 24-hour period from 8 am EDT October 18 (12:00 UTC) to the following morning, the pressure fell 90 mbar (2.65 inHg) and Wilma strengthened from a strong tropical storm with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds to a powerful Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h)^[3]. Hardcourts and grass are "fast" surfaces, where fast, low bounces keep rallies short, and powerful, hard-serving and hard-hitting players have an advantage. Over a 10-hour period Hurricane Hunter aircraft measured a pressure drop of 78 mbar (2.30 inHg). On clay courts, line calls are easily reviewable because the ball leaves a visible mark. Hurricane Wilma began to intensify explosively at an incredible rate during late afternoon on October 18 around 4 pm EDT.

Clay courts are considered "slow," meaning that the balls lose speed as they hit the court and bounce relatively high, making it more difficult for a player to hit an unreturnable shot, called a winner. The 12th hurricane of the season, Wilma tied the record set in 1969 for most storms of hurricane strength in one season. Hardcourt encompasses many different surfaces, ranging from old-fashioned concrete courts to coated asphalt to wooden gymnasium surfaces to artificial grass similar to AstroTurf. Moving slowly over warm water with little wind shear, Wilma strengthened steadily and became a hurricane on October 18. Each surface provides a difference in the speed and bounce of the ball. With Wilma, the 2005 hurricane season tied the record for most storms in a season with the 1933 season. There are three main types of courts, depending on the materials used for the court surface. The storm was named "Wilma," the first time the 'W' name was used since alphabetical naming began in 1950.

The net is 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) high at the posts, and 3 feet (914 mm) high in the center. 24 reached tropical storm strength at 5 am EDT October 17 (09:00 UTC). A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. T.D. Additional clear space around the court is required in order for players to reach overrun balls. The area of disturbed weather southwest of Jamaica slowly organized into Tropical Depression 24 on October 15. The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, and its width is 27 feet (8.23 m) for singles matches and 36 feet (10.97 m) for doubles matches. In the second week of October 2005, a large area of low pressure with several centers of thunderstorm activity developed over the western Atlantic and eastern Caribbean.

Tennis is played on a rectangular flat surface, usually of grass, clay, or concrete (hard court). . . Wilma also affected eleven countries with winds or rainfall, more than any other hurricane in recent history. Along with its millions of players, millions of people follow tennis as a spectator sport, especially the four Grand Slam tournaments. history. Its rules have remained remarkably unchanged since the 1920s. At least 62 deaths have been reported, and damage is estimated at $16-20 billion ($12.2 billion in the US) (2005 US dollars) [2], ranking Wilma among the top 10 costliest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic and the sixth costliest storm in U.S.

Tennis is now an Olympic sport that is played at all levels of society and by all ages in many countries around the world. state of Florida. Originating in England in the late 19th Century, the game spread first throughout the English-speaking world, particularly among the upper classes. Wilma made several landfalls, with the most destructive effects felt in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. In some places, tennis is still called lawn tennis, to distinguish it from real tennis (also known as royal tennis or court tennis), an older form of the game that is played indoors on a very different kind of a court. Wilma was the second 21st storm in any season, and the earliest-forming 21st storm by nearly a month. Player(s) use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered in felt over a net into the opponent's court. It was the only time three Category 5 hurricanes formed in the Atlantic in one year, and Wilma was only the third Category 5 to develop in the month of October.

Tennis is a racquet sport played between either two players ("singles") or two teams of two players ("doubles"). At its peak, it was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. The convention of numbering scores "15," "30" and "40" comes from quinze, trente and quarante, which to French ears makes a euphonious sequence. Wilma set numerous records for both strength and seasonal activity. Love may come from l'oeuf, the egg, a reference to the egg-shaped zero symbol; however, since "un oeuf" is more commonly used, the etymology remains in question. Hurricane Wilma was the twenty-first named storm, thirteenth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane, and third Category 5 of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Deuce comes from à deux le jeu, meaning "to both is the game" (that is, the two players have equal scores). The NHC's archive on Hurricane Wilma.

Racquet comes from raquette, which derives from the Arabic rakhat, meaning the palm of the hand. Tennis comes from the French tenez, the imperative form of the verb tenir, to hold: This was a cry used by the player serving in royal tennis, meaning "I am about to serve!" (rather like the cry "Fore!" in golf). Hardcourt. Grass court.

Clay court.