 The Medieval form of tennis is termed as real tennis, a game that evolved over three centuries, from an earlier ball game played around the 12th century in France which involved hitting a ball with a bare hand and later with a glove.By the 16th century, the glove had become a racket, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had stabilized.Real tennis spread in popularity throughout royalty in Europe, reaching its peak in the 16th century.