The History and Development of Tennis Real Tennis - Fives – Rackets – Lawn Tennis - Tennis

Objectives To learn about the development of Lawn tennis as a rational recreation in the Industrial era post 1850

Outcomes 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

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’ 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

Development of Tennis http://www.rackets-online.co.uk/history.asp?keyfld=1 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 Debtor’s prison High walls Time Middle class

Lawn Tennis at the Leamington Club

1870s Major Gem at Leamington Spa 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….. Ideal for the larger suburban garden where wealthy families (upper middle class), including daughters could play unobserved 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 It became a very fashionable pastime for the middle classes 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 hourglass-shaped 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

Explain the role of Tennis in the development of women’s sport 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 19th 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 focussed on clubs – school club links now important recent development Still predominantly a middle class game… Factors helping develop tennis… Technology – astroturf, graphite racquets etc LTA initiatives/ coaching schemes/community programmes Indoor facilities Media

Tennis today 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 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