A SHORT HISTORY OF REAL TENNIS

REAL TENNIS IS THE OLDEST RACQUET SPORT AND THE PREDECESSOR OF LAWN TENNIS AND SQUASH.  THE TERM ‘REAL’ WAS ONLY ADOPTED AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY TO DISTINGUISH THE GAME FROM THE NEWLY INVENTED GAME OF LAWN TENNIS. 

The likely origins of the game go back to 5th century Italy , being played in the street with the palm of the hand. This is reflected in the shape of the racquet that we use today. 

By the 16th century, a racquet had been introduced and the game had moved into an enclosed area like the courts we have today.  At the time of the Tudors it had become the sport of both kings and commoners – often with a lot of money being made or lost on the outcome of a game!  In 1530 Henry VIII built a court at Hampton Court Palace, which is still in use today.  The French kings also built courts at their palaces in Versailles and Fontainebleau.  Lesser mortals played in courts attached ale houses and inns – before the French Revolution there were more than 250 courts in Paris alone.

The game thrived during the 17th century but started to decline as new sports such as rackets, squash and lawn tennis emerged. There was a brief revival in Victorian times with several new courts being built not only in England, but also in the Eastern States of the USA and in Australia. There were several courts in the Bristol area during the 18th and 19th centuries, but these have all vanished, and the court built in Bath in 1777 now houses the Museum of Bath at Work.

Currently there are 27 courts in use in the UK; two in France, where the game is called jeu de paume; 11 in existence in the USA, where the game is called court tennis; and five in Australia. 

Some people described the game as playing chess with a tennis ball. It can be challenging, frustrating and exhilarating all the same time but the handicap system (like golf) means that anyone can play at any level and have a good game.