Tennis Has a Mystery That Nobody Can Solve

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About Thoughty2
Thoughty2 (Arran) is a British KZbinr and gatekeeper of useless facts. Thoughty2 creates mind-blowing factual videos about science, tech, history, opinion and just about everything else.
#Thoughty2
Writing: Steven Rix
Editing: Jack Stevens

[@Thoughty2]

PDS Debt is offering a free debt analysis. It only takes thirty seconds. Get yours at PDSDebt.com/thoughty2

[@thENDweDIE]

Who get's payed once every three weeks...or a month..?? Perhaps it was a brand new job...

[@ghostfaction45]

Its really is because of the min hand... but you fail to understand basics physics... humanity fails to understand basics physics...

[@Henri-qq6xm]

did your foot get stuck in a tea pot mmmmm !

[@allanshpeley4284]

@@EatonShitson How is debt settlement immoral?

[@admiralkaede]

is this sponsor good or does it have hidden fees as i have a family member with debt

[@sonicplanet9193]

What I've learned: When royalty plays with each other's balls in public, insanity ensues, and empires fall. Makes sense.

[@notduhpopo]

But when I do it I get arrested.

[@isiomaagulebu891]

😂😂😂😂

[@fraizie6815]

They've got the balls to play with balls, quite ballsy

[@subnoizesoldier2]

Is the ball in my court now😂😂😂😂

[@igbokwenu4934]

Balls Deep

[@russlehman2070]

Another oddity: Once a game has reched "deuce" (40-40) it is no longer scored numerically. In order to win, you have to win two consecutive points, so it is either "deuce" (tied) or "advantage player", until somebody scores two consecutive points and wins. The score 30 - 30 is sometimes called "little deuce".

[@davidlancaster8152]

The whole thing is so strange. Thanks for trying to straighten it out

[@seanwaston3892]

@@davidlancaster8152 you think that's strange wtf is pickle ball

[@cheifreal]

I just asked a freind bout that a month ago as we passed a new pickelball court. Never heard of it till then.I'm guessin it's scaled down tennis fer us oldercockers that can't run no mo.

[@davidlancaster8152]

@@seanwaston3892 I have no idea 💡

[@poindextertunes]

I stg some rich spoiled child made up these rules as they were playing for the first time

[@jarinazf9683]

No idea why they used increments of 15. However how about this?: In a game favored and played by royalty, some King was neck-and-neck in a match when his opponent scored that third point and instead of pulling ahead by 15, King I. Neverloose suddenly declared that the third point only counted as 10. His opponent, I. Wannakeepmyhead, said , "Oh yes, of course!" and so it was. Remember, a foot was the size of "The King's" foot(which king? when? does it change with kings?) and we sill use that today. A bit fanciful but I think plausible. Always enjoy your channel!

[@fredriklundberg5097]

One of the absolute best channels ever on KZbin. Thank You.

[@JustDaniel6764]

Up there with the 'Whyfiles' if you haven't already check it out, i highly recommend

[@dennisgalvin2521]

Agreed.

[@646464mario]

Been subbed to this guy since I was 14 in 2014 when he was just a small channel. He used to do a cool series called RIF (random interesting facts). I put Thoughty2 up there in the same ranks as Tom Scott.

[@fredriklundberg5097]

@@646464mario he really is brilliant.

[@petergray2712]

I had a "Book of Facts" as a preteen that asserted that the tennis scoring system was based upon the weight of cannonballs (in lbs no less) fired by the opposing English and French navies during the 100 Years War. Even before the internet was invented, there were a lot of random interjections by uninformed spectators.

[@h4tchetman]

In the 1400s everybody was absolutely bloody mental... 2024 everybody is still bloody mental

[@Blueknight1960]

More so now.

[@Sniperboy5551]

It’s okay, they can just “identify” as “not mental” and we’ll be fine

[@edpenkalski8937]

At least back then you wouldn't of been cutting your pecker off and forcing people to call you ma'am with the police and courts backing you up

[@hippiedude2232]

True... But at least we don't have to worry about miasthema demons, dancing plague, or a pissed off monarch beheading peasants in the streets in 2024. In most countries anyway.

[@onikamura888]

LOL 😂

[@Scooby_Rogue]

Bring back Regular Thumbnails 😅

[@dailydoseofanimalsandnature]

It’s crazy to think I’ve been watching this channel since you had a few thousand subscribers…😂 when I scroll through your channel I’ve literally watched every video. Didn’t comment before I don’t think but just wanted to let you know I love sleeping to these videos 💪🤝 keep it up mate!

[@johncharles2357]

I don't know if admitting to sleeping to the videos is really a compliment

[@dailydoseofanimalsandnature]

@@johncharles2357 depends on your perspective I suppose 😄

[@chesson6464]

Great video sir. Been following you since the early years and it's been awesome to see you evolve. Keep up the great work.

[@kitefan1]

When I was a teenager in 1970s USA the score history rumor was that the nobility used this strange system to keep the servants from figuring out the system and learning to play. Thanks for the story.

[@brianb8003]

Honestly, while likely wrong, this actually makes the most sense lol Kings and nobles are notorious dicks to the peasant class ;)

[@janemiettinen5176]

I asked my husband about this years ago, he just shrugged and said “15-30-40 sounds more precious than 1-2-3”. I guess it does.

[@ibrahim-sj2cr]

im guessing the servants are scoring the matches on the sidelines

[@kitefan1]

@@ibrahim-sj2cr Yep, didn't perceive that one at the time.

[@jimbean6934]

Thank you I love these videos I been watching you from 16k subs never would I think you’d be at the top of the search bar on many people KZbin’s

[@michaelabawi546]

Thank you for the video! I get excited and giddy when you post!

[@shaneannigans]

I played Real/Royal Tennis at Macquarie University, Australia, back in the 90's. I never enjoyed modern Tennis, but really enjoyed this older, more enclosed, version of the game.

[@davidlancaster8152]

Geeze Thoughty! You just unscrambled my conundrum over tennis scores. Every time I watched a match I figured I missed something or was blacking out! (didn't think my pot was that good)

[@paulvaz5846]

Arran, thx for your content. I really enjoy them. Cheers from Portugal

[@winter6292]

Thanks for all the videos!!

[@chrischuter1530]

You should be proud of the content you make, its often interesting, informative, and entertaining. Just saying in the hope it might "bring a smile to you face". All the best and thank you.

[@allanshpeley4284]

I'm sure the money he's pulling in has brought a smile to his face.

[@chrischuter1530]

Absolutely, your right.@@allanshpeley4284 Being nice costs me nothing , and he produces an entertaining "show", sometimes its just nice to be nice.

[@street_sharq]

Another awesome video, keep up the great work! Always look forward to your content

[@One.Liners]

Love your storytelling and animations

[@scottbrowne4745]

Very interesting! I love your videos, man! One of my favorite channels!!!

[@wendypetersen7529]

I look forward to your videos every week and have your books. Thank you.

[@derekfaircloth4661]

thanks for posting i love your content!

[@douglasmackallor]

Tennis? Well, I LOVE ALL your episodes. Quite naturally.

[@thundernlightning]

Hey Aaron, glad to gain more knowledge

[@johnlynn8543]

I've never given a toss about most sports and tennis is at the top of such a list. I'm more into archery, hatchet throwing, dueling, HEMA... that kinda thing. But you, Aaron, and your mojo are bloody effin' brilliant.

[@darkflip]

Hella cool video! just wanna say, that thumbnail gave me an interesting deja vu that helped me in one of my hobbies of conscious research. hella cool bruh!

[@slayer8actual]

6:33 "The popular game we all know and *zero* today, evolved from an earlier sport called Real Tennis..." Had to get that in there, didn't you?

[@drsiege3434]

Informative as always 👍🏼

[@MrHaiti29]

Thanks for these wonderful contents 🙏🏽

[@Fate6025]

Thanks a lot! I appreciate all of your work, and can't even describe how grateful I am. :)

[@squirrelprooffeeder]

Nice Big Lebowski reference at 14:52! Well done, sir.

[@davewellslives]

These are great videos! Fun. Where does the title thoughty2 come from?

[@sylviawambui8743]

I love the channel and how you narrate in your videos love from kenya

[@dr.floridaman4805]

Birthplace of Obama!

[@solemnbuddhist]

Amazing video like always thoughty I never miss a video!

[@thaddeustwumasi]

Thanks for the periodic dose of knowledge

[@corymoore2292]

Thank you for another wonderful video!

[@debottombose4064]

Thanks for the video 🙏

[@harkamelrandhawa7125]

Thank you. I love these videos

[@nettejakobs2501]

Thank you for another awesome story 😊

[@danawahll4481]

you are awesome, i really enjoyed this video thank you :))

[@neotoxsin]

Thanks for making learning fun again!

[@ajwinberg]

Great video as always. 😊

[@truth_hunter]

Since I was a kid I played many sports often and for several years. The summer before I started High School, my mom thought to Sign me up for tennis since she seen teenagers play to before and thought it looked fun. When she said I had tennis lessons I wasn’t happy. She said just go and try it. So I did. It ended up being a sport I enjoyed and was naturally good at. Even the tennis instructor said I’m a natural at tennis. In high school I played all 4 years. Varsity, we had to play 7 sets. Of course, was on the JV team as a freshman. Anyways, I love smashing the overheaders and the opponent was so mad at me. 😂 But that’s what I was taught in tennis lessons to smash them hard so I could get an easy win for points. I was mostly a singles player meaning just me against 1 opponent. There are doubles meaning 2 people play against two other people and they have to work together and call if they think they can return the ball. My backhand hits when so good it’s somewhat difficult for some people. Anyways, I never was good enough like those tennis pros, but good enough to win some matches at least. 😆

[@Spinosaurus44]

What a way to die, playing tennis and drinking wine 😂

[@Jules_Pew]

I used to drink G&T when changing ends.

[@topxsoul]

Could be more French… he could have had some cheese and a baguette.

[@Mario_has_a_gun]

My dumb ass read that as drinking tennis and playing wine 🤣

[@arindamrc5911]

He was probably poisoned.

[@tundelle]

And it's also sounds poetic! Really worth it

[@utkarsh698]

One of the best channel on KZbin!! Love from India❤️

[@poolboy1690]

Except his episode about Oak Island, its full of unsubstantiated assertions. His accusations of the show's fake-ness are a projection of his own fabrication. His take did not age well, and is based on fiction, and not the actual carbon dating of artifacts recovered. Perhaps he should issue a correction.

[@richardbottom9843]

@@poolboy1690 maximum cope

[@tennisjiujitsu]

I’ve played tennis my entire life. I’ve thought about the scoring and I think it’s actually very simple and less confusing if you were to score 1,2,3,4 game. I know it sounds weird but in the heat of the moment it’s easier to remember 30-15, 30-30, 30-love 40-15 than 2-1, 2-2, 2-0, 3,1. Most people get confused about the score during tiebreaks which are scored 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 (tiebreaks end when a player gets to 7 first but ahead by at least 2 points). Most disputes about the score happen during tiebreaks which indicate when under pressure it’s hard remembering simple number patterns. Just my thoughts from experience. Love the history of Tennis! Great Video! 🙏

[@tberry79]

Thanks for the video

[@sirpotatato]

I enjoy your thumbnails Immensely, thank you for your content.

[@jasonroberts4470]

Nicely done 😊

[@phantasmo9998]

I wonder if the other king sending tennis balls was an insulting message based on something personal between them.

[@jonathanwilliams1065]

It was Henry V was quite young and had spent his youth partying and playing tennis The gift of balls was saying “go play tennis and drop your claim to these dukedoms”

[@zariaillevacs9682]

​​@@jonathanwilliams1065like a grow you're own girlfriend gift, get off mine... It looks such, but it's more too ..

[@xandytee1041]

I reckon it's "Even if I give you all these, I've still got more balls than you!"😂😂😂

[@zariaillevacs9682]

@@xandytee1041 sadly, you're really wrong... But sorta not... It's a gay thing... You can tell by the scoring system too... Sorta a ball check the Vatican did too. Ish... Goes back to Pythagoras... Pi... Circle... American pie northwest passage even... See every 15... 1+5=6... Love, 6 6 10... The Aten, the Pythagorean perspective of 10... Hoop and stick game.... There's way more... It's created, when the Julian calendar is becoming unlivable... And they bring in the Gregorian. Now essentially if Jesus is killed then Julian calendar, and it's 11 days off by the time they "fix it" who did they sacrifice for the Gregorian? Two women. 11 11 make a wish... This is templars time ... 5 and 6 have meaning in the lunar calendar... And those numbers are at play in the scoring system of tennis... This is sorta George slaying the dragon and Nessie let's use Nessie... If you know who that is .. the separation from the far east and the new world... Lunar calendar is necessary... 28... 2+8=10... It's males... Gay rich males with nothing to worry about so they cause problems and love it's called. Unless you're educated college level at least and country club lifestyle there's no way you have educational ability to figure out what they're doing. This is why they burn books and fake education. And it's not a female friendly bunch.... They'll kill to make sure a female DOESN'T FIGURE IT OUT... FIGUREHEAD.... I'M ONE OF THE FEW FEMALES THAT KNOW... AND BOY THE ABUSE.... These are the males that promote the "housewife" and shopping. All are mason's. In reality, and I myself have been working on this, since my pops, brought home a cobalt masonic ashtray circa 1984... Because they have secrets they demand you lie to spouse to cover, and in reality lying to spouse is grounds for annulment. Especially if the spouse, is merely demoted to fag hag baby maker for a playboy gay boy.

[@aegoni6176]

@@xandytee1041 I would have guessed it was: "Seeing your lack of BALLS as a king, here are a few"

[@Alexander-ry4pv]

Thanks for the vid!

[@tiagobuarki]

Thanks. Big fan for a long time now.

[@h.k.347]

well done! feels almost like your older work..

[@kennethnielsen3864]

Thanks for sharing.

[@opinion8ted]

Thanks for the interesting video, it’s amazing that no one has an answer!! I never really got going with tennis as the tennis courts at my school were positioned so that the players on one side of the court were blinded by the sun!!

[@m3bbas139]

I’m so happy you are talking normally.. I couldn’t finish any of your videos before.. acting natural is always the way to go ❤

[@haraank4905]

What do you mean?

[@Ivan-Gutierrez6969]

Great video mate

[@hzrdging3r201]

You and Danny Duncan are the only KZbinrs I’ve watched every video from for years now love the vids

[@feralbluee]

The comic in you sure came out in this video. Love it! “We’re going have to go all the way back in time to the 💥.” 😋 6:21 “The game we know and zero today. . . “ ROTFL 🤣

[@jaeger4703]

"The popular sport were know and zero today" LOL

[@MrJayehawk]

It was a good line.

[@h-dvlpm]

Can you kindly explain me the meaning of his joke in that line? because English is not my native language 🙏

[@jaeger4703]

@@h-dvlpm so in the video he says the term 0 in tennis doesn't exist, it's called "love" so it wouldn't be "the score is zero to thirty" it would be "thirty, Love". Thoughty2 uses this terminology when he says the usual saying "Know and love" to make it "know and ZERO".

[@h-dvlpm]

@@jaeger4703 ahh i see, thanks a lot for the clear explanation

[@pascualdiezodogherty4813]

Thanks man!!

[@olasteer2197]

Back to the Big Bang had me good 42, also i found it very fascinating about the minute hand being invented later on in time.

[@VicJang]

Great video! I’ve always wondered about the reason but never bother to look it up. Turns out there wasn’t a concrete answer anyway.

[@EauRouge]

Thanks for everything mate!!

[@robertbretschneider765]

Thanks, never knew that scoring system!

[@MrComawhite]

Love ya Thoughty2 !! My Homie! 😎

[@Suicaedere666]

I watch this channel because your a fantasic fact teller, not because of your thumbnail.. thank you for your work and dedication Thoughty❤

[@raisedbrow01]

I read a book a while ago about tennis that included the history of the points system. According to the book, it was based on the clock face as suggested. The 40 came about due to duece - whoever got "advantage" was moved to 45 on the clock face so the third point was kept at 40. This is what I read, and nothing was mentioned about the sets as far as I remember... although I tempted to go back and see if it is. To me it makes sense and possibly it's 6 for a set as a best of three sets needing 12 games - the 12 on a clock. This would mean each person has a clock face each, a minute hand for points, hour hand for games. That part is just a guess though 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@marievaleur7877]

This was absolutely fascinating! Thanks for bringing all of that history to life, who knew tennis was so instrumental in European history!

[@outerlast]

can't wait till you make videos about how modern fencing got its rues and scoring system

[@riverbender9898]

Love your channel but miss the added captions. Thank you.

[@markojojic6223]

6:40 I'm 99% certain that "real" meant royal in Old Spanish, can somebody confirm?

[@jaepayne5844]

The counting system that uses approaching the nets makes a lot of sense. While not quite as prevalent today, my dad talked about how "attacking the net" was what everyone did, nearly every game. Today people still stalk about "net game" meaning how good a player performs when they are close to or approaching the net. While a player choses when to approach the net, I wonder if historically one approached the net as a rule. Perhaps as time went on, certain players didn't want to approach the net so they made "house rules": Call out your score, but both players start at the base line and choose where they go from there. Modern tennis has gone the way of much more power and faster tennis ball speed, while we see players use the net less in singles tennis. In doubles...someone is usually at the net.

[@HeyokaMushi]

Thanks. Like a bunch. From all the years. Thanks

[@wackojacko1997]

Always interesting videos, but I just don't understand why he hasn't done a video yet on the Glomar Explorer.

[@christophecamus3295]

Very interesting video thanks

[@ChrisChris-np4wn]

As a french I love how cute it sound when you say "jeux de paumes" , good job.

[@adambattersby8934]

That's French with a Lancashire accent.

[@dorian7661]

Jus de poums!

[@DhavalBrahmbhatt2627]

Thank you for the video

[@caw7007]

Thanks! Somehow I’ve miss notifications. Catching up. 💖

[@richewilson6394]

My dad was a tennis champ that he got a scholarship for it when he was in high school. He made us kids play it all the time but i was really a a soccer person because of my built. That's also how my mom at my dad she noticed him from her dorm playing against the backboard head or two courts we had at our college.

[@dennisgalvin2521]

Love not war.

[@navret1707]

Thoughty, since you did such a stellar job explaining the backstory of tennis, I have a challenge for you: I have never found anyone who can successfully explain CRICKET to me. It makes no sense whatsoever to the casual observer. There, take the challenge, if you dare.

[@finleyrosebud5791]

I legitimately began to attempt it and yeah there's soooooooooooooooo much to explain.

[@finleyrosebud5791]

tbf, I don't think it's any more confusing than American football if you've grown up with it.

[@JustDaniel6764]

What i find totally weird about American football is some players can go a whole career without ever touching the ball.

[@neWworlDmaN83]

@@JustDaniel6764 and 99% of the players never touch the ball with their foot

[@JustDaniel6764]

@@neWworlDmaN83 😂😂Well yeah, Hand egg ball maybe

[@myscreen2urs]

Cribbage has a very similar scoring system. Maybe they share a common element🤔

[@alphalunamare]

Zero Today ... :-) Well said Sir! 10:25 After 45 the counting became unclockable so they stopped it and chose 40 as a sign that this was the new way of scoring the game. Initially at 40:40 it was Ducks as in cricket but the posh toffs chose Deuce instead as it seemed less plebian. It is apocryphal but some say that in those days to have so many repetative ducks one needed a lot of Djuice in one's loins.

[@noahharris9093]

That hidden UwU caught me so off guard nearly spit out my drink 😂😂

[@kevinqwen221]

I'm not alone😂

[@myscreen2urs]

Time stamp please

[@noahharris9093]

@@myscreen2urs4:34 listen closely

[@MCsCreations]

Fascinating!

[@Abyss-Will]

2:18 damn that's a nice set up

[@feralbluee]

Wow! Who knew that tennis goes so far back. Really interesting history, especially the way you tell it. I don’t know how you keep coming up with so many ideas. Thanks soo much. And it is such a great feeling to know that those of who can afford a “Like” are appreciated. You are one of the very first people I watched and subscribed to on YT. Mwah! :) 🌷🌱

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

I know a guy that served with his racket at an angle which made the ball spin backwards returning to him. no way to return the serve. Don't know why it wouldn't be a legal serve. He could make it return over the net or off to any side he aimed for.

[@danielvazquez5985]

THE ORIGINAL TENNIS SCORE WAS CALLED THOUGHTY 2😊😅😊

[@swedebug2889]

That ending.. ❤

[@Blinkerd00d]

My theory has always been, shouting 15, 30, 40 during a match, made it much easier to comprehend. Sometimes it can be noisy or hard to hear if the other person is turned the other way when shouting. 30 and 40, for example, could easily be heard as the other. I don't know how well my theory holds up in French, but it is fairly solid in English lol it's similar to saying bravo for B or delta for D over the radio/phone.

[@Anothermachine]

Thanks for the wisdom. I enjoy this channel on many levels!

[@dannyhoughton74]

Aaron, the "Paume court" theory is probably correct.. If the courts were indeed 90ft long. The lines were probably indeed 15, 30 and 40. Because 45 would not have been the last advancement line. It would have the centre (the net).. So the the Paume court theory still stands plausible

[@Natures_Symmetry]

Great video! In my opinion the 3 guys who invented this game in their back yard decided to score it like that. It can happen today and it for sure is could happen then. No complex or logical explanation is needed. I always thought that it was scored like that to differentiate it from other games. Look at soccer, rugby, American football, basketball, bowling, golf, etc. Each game has its own way of keeping score. Also, since it's a game that started with novelty, it would make sense that the rich will want to differentiate themselves from the poor by scoring it differently than 1,2,3. To make it more 'intelligent'. But then they'd go to war if someone gave them the wrong gift.

[@craftyviking5654]

This has bugged me since i first became aware of tennis and a big fan back in the mcenroe, agasi, conners and borg days. Thank YOU my friend for telling me im not crazy for thinking this scoring system made no sense.

[@jackdurden466]

5:10 the egg for 0 comparison is often used in modern conversation as “goose egg” when asked for an amount and the answer is zero.

[@dwightnorton3398]

I Agree with you/Scoring history for all sports on tv

[@timkelly4954]

Just a thought ... number 1 we haven't scored tennis the way we always did because as you mentioned the 45 got changed to 40 at some point for some reason ... Whatever reason they had to change 45 to 40 was obviously not so you could say the number faster ... because if that was the reason for change ... then why not change Fifteen to Ten for the same reasons ... Perhaps they changed it to 40 because 45 put you right onto the net which meant you could reach over the net to make a play ... so to prevent this they changed the last movement to 40 instead of 45 ... but who really knows ... Thus tennis's scoring system is truly an enigma ...

[@arunmarley7306]

Are there any other channels like thoughty2?