The History and Development of
Tennis
Real Tennis - Fives – Rackets – Lawn Tennis - Tennis
Objectives
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To learn about the development of Lawn
tennis as a rational recreation in the
Industrial era post 1850
Outcomes
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All must recall characteristics of Rational
Recreation
All should develop knowledge of the development
of Tennis as a rational sport
All could extend understanding by relating
characteristics of Rational Lawn Tennis to the
cultural / social conditions in late 19th C
Characteristics of Rational
Recreation
Respectable
 Regular
 Rule-based
Regional – National – International
 Restrictive, exclusive
 Fair play
 Gambling curbed
 Amateurism / Professionalism
 Purpose-built facilities
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REAL / ROYAL TENNIS
REAL TENNIS
Why did the game of Real Tennis remain exclusive to the gentry?
Why did the game of Real Tennis
remain exclusive to the gentry?
Expense –specialist facilities, too expensive for masses
Structure – complex structure / rules / sophisticated language
Status – Dress code, etiquette, reflecting high society
Elitism – the privileged class wished to remain exclusive
Royalty – played by royalty / French aristocracy
Time – peasantry would not have had the time to play
Alternative – lower class had their own simple & adapted games
Harrow School
Fives / ‘Jeu de Paume’
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Played at inns / taverns
Encouraged by publicans
In PS played in recreation
time by boys
Different architecture at
different Schools produced a
different game
Did not meet character
building requirements of the
PS
Not adopted by Universities
http://www.rackets-online.co.uk/history.asp?keyfld=1
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In its earliest form during the 18th
Century, rackets was played in the open
on the walls of the yards of the two main
debtor's prisons; the King's Bench and
the Fleet. Gentlemen, imprisoned until
they could find the wherewithal to repay
their creditors, amused themselves with
many different activities around the
prison yard. These included skittles,
fives, which was played both with the
hand and a bat (as at Westminster
School), and some brought tennis rackets
with them and improvised against any
convenient wall, sometimes with no side
walls and always without a back wall.
Why might Fleet Prison be a logical venue for the birth of
rackets?
Fleet Prison
High walls
Time
Debtor’s prison
Middle class
Lawn Tennis at the Leamington Club
1870s Major Gem at Leamington Spa
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Played a form of lawn tennis in his garden
 Established the first lawn tennis club at
Royal Leamington Spa 1872
It was Major Walter Clopton Wingfield who
is now credited with the invention of lawn
tennis
“the first truly national game” Holt
SPHAIRISTIKE
The game of Sphairistike
(‘playing ball’) was
patented by
Major Walter Clopton
Wingfield
In 1874 he published a set
of rules and marketed
basic equipment at an
affordable price
Wingfield sold 1050 sets
of tennis equipment
to the upper and
middle classes
between July 1874 and
June 1875
5 guineas per set
Lawn Tennis
The name Sphairistike
was not popular and so
the name ‘Lawn tennis’,
was adopted.
The ‘lawn’ became a
favoured site of
informal upper middle
class amusement
Lawn tennis… ideal for the larger garden
The owners of country houses have been at their wit’s end for some
attraction wherewith to fill their lawns in summertime’
Lawn tennis…..
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Ideal for the larger suburban garden where wealthy families (upper middle
class), including daughters could play unobserved
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Could be played by either sex or both together
From a gender viewpoint tennis was the first truly national game
The privacy of the garden provided an opportunity to invite suitable
members of the opposite sex for supervised sport
Whilst it was nice for a girl to be able to play tennis she was not supposed
to be too good at it
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It became a very fashionable pastime for the middle classes
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Appearance before performance - RESPECTABILITY
Lawn Tennis did not enjoy the same popularity in
Public Schools as Rugby and Soccer. Explain
Physicality – tennis / fives did not require the courage of rugby
Teamwork – tennis / fives did not require the teamwork, loyalty
Leadership – not the opportunities for leadership in tennis
Response to leadership – not the opportunities for response
Space – required a relatively large space to occupy few boys
Professionals – employed in other sports, not tennis
Social – tennis and fives regarded as social / recreational
Competitions – no inter-school tennis fixtures
Girls – tennis associated with girls’ schools, not ‘manly’
Invention – a new invention so treated with suspicion
Status – society regarded professional cricket and football as of
greater importance than amateur tennis
The Tennis Clab
Thousands of clubs formed – a feature of Victorian England
‘The Select Lawn Tennis Club’ (1881) formed in Hove
publicity emphasised “eight courts adequately sheltered by the foliage of trees”;
‘shelter’ from the gaze of the ‘common herd’
Competitive play for men at league and county level but this rarely overshadowed the
larger social purpose
Lower middle class – whose gardens were too small for courts
Working class ?
Tournament rules established by the MCC with tournaments held on
cricket grounds before Wimbledon became the centre.
Initially Wimbledon was the ‘All England Croquet Club’; tennis soon
overshadowed croquet.
The Tennis club was for polite conversation, courtship and
friendly relations between social equals (middle class !)
oRganised Competition
1875
Wimbledon: Henry Cavendish Jones convinced the All England
Croquet Club to replace a croquet court with a lawn tennis court.
Marylebone Cricket Club followed suit.
Marylebone Cricket Club made significant changes to the game. They
added deuce. advantage and 2 chances per serve. The hourglassshaped court also changed to a rectangular court, identical to the
measurements we use today!
1877
Wimbledon: The very first World Tennis Championship was held in
1877 at Worple Road in Wimbledon (United Kingdom), the true home
of tennis! The sponsors were the All England Croquet Club. Only 22
players entered the Mens Singles, which was the only event.
Spectators paid a mere one shilling to watch the final.
1884
Wimbledon: The Wimbledon Championships are open to women for the first
time. There are only 13 participants.
Men's doubles was also introduced for the first time.
Explain the role of Tennis in the development of women’s
sport
Explain the role of Tennis in the development of women’s
sport
Privacy
 Social
 Athleticism
 Non-vigorous
 Dress
 Health
 Schools
 Role models
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Explain the role of Tennis in the development of
women’s sport
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Privacy –could play in the privacy of their own garden
Social – a social as well as a competitive game, mixed sex
Athleticism – an opportunity to be athletic / energetic
Non-vigorous – but … not necessarily vigorous, decorum, not
expected to play well
Dress – no special uniform required – play in dresses
Health – acceptance of a healthy lifestyle, therapeutic
Schools – tennis adopted and developed in middle class girls’
schools
Helped to remove SOME stereotypes of earlier 19 th C times
Role models – such as Lottie Dod
Lottie Dod
Wimbledon Champions
such as
Lottie Dod
became role models
1887
Wimbledon: Lottie Dod of
England wins the Wimbledon
Ladies Singles title for the first
of 5 times between 1887 and
1893.
She is the youngest player to
win a singles event at the age
of only 15 years and 285 days.
What characteristics of rational recreation are
evident in lawn tennis?
What characteristics of rational recreation
are evident in lawn tennis?
Respectable
Played by respectable people of the middle class
Regular
Played regularly, machine age, more free time
Rules / Codified
Written rules, an organising body
Skilful
Game involved skill, techniques, tactics
Tennis today
Participation today
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focussed on clubs – school
club links now important recent development
Still predominantly a middle class game…
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Factors helping develop tennis…
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Technology – astroturf, graphite racquets etc
LTA initiatives/ coaching schemes/community
programmes
Indoor facilities
Media
Tennis today
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Barriers…
Perceptions that tennis is costly…may have some basis…
Stuffy attitudes at some private clubs…
Availability / Quality of public provision
Summer game – limits school participation esp with
weather
Expensive in terms of space use / coaches just like in
public school era
Relatively difficult game to play
Modern technological alternatives – eg Wii sports
Outcomes
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All must recall characteristics of Rational
Recreation
All should develop knowledge of the development
of Tennis as a rational sport
All could extend understanding by relating
characteristics of Rational Lawn Tennis to the
cultural / social conditions in late 19th C