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Tennis · Interesting Facts

Chapter 1: History & Origins

10 parts · 10 tests · 100 facts · updated 15 October 2026 · markdown

The royal game and the lawn game's first steps: kings and their courts, a revolution sworn in a tennis room, Shakespeare's tennis balls, and the pioneers in Birmingham, Bermuda and Staten Island.

1.11The Royal Game

Tennis before lawns: Tudor and Stuart courts, a French king's fatal doorway, the oath that began a revolution, and the tennis balls in Shakespeare's Henry V.

Test 1Kings, courts and a revolutionTake a test

  1. Wolsey built the first court between 1526 and 1529; Henry VIII, who took over the palace, played there, and one wall of Wolsey's court survives.

    Source: The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court Palace, club history (royaltenniscourt.com) · recall

  2. The court was built for James V and is still played on by the Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Club.

    Source: Guinness World Records, 'Oldest real tennis court' (guinnessworldrecords.com); National Trust for Scotland · recall

  3. The usual account says he struck a stone lintel on his way to watch the game and collapsed later that day; a 2021 study questions whether the blow alone killed him.

    Source: Accounts of the death of Charles VIII at Amboise, reviewed in World Neurosurgery (ScienceDirect, 2021) · recall

  4. The Tennis Court Oath bound the National Assembly to stay together until it had given France a written constitution.

    Source: Chateau de Versailles, 'The Tennis Court Oath, 20 June 1789' and 'La Salle du Jeu de Paume' (chateauversailles.fr) · recall

  5. David's large drawing of 1791 was meant for a painting he never finished.

    Source: Chateau de Versailles, 'The Tennis Court Oath, 20 June 1789' and 'La Salle du Jeu de Paume' (chateauversailles.fr); Louvre collections · recall

  6. Refitting the court was one of Charles II's first acts after the Restoration; the court had been rebuilt for Charles I in 1625.

    Source: The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court Palace, club history (royaltenniscourt.com) · recall

  7. The French ambassadors deliver the Dauphin's gift in Act 1, Scene 2; it is meant as a jibe at Henry's wild youth.

    Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Henry V, Act 1 Scene 2 (folger.edu); Folger, 'Shakespeare and tennis' · recall

  8. 1498, 1526-29, 1539-41 and 1789.

    Source: World Neurosurgery (2021); Royal Tennis Court; Guinness; Chateau de Versailles · recall

  9. The late 1520s, 1625, the 1660s and 1975.

    Source: The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court Palace, club history (royaltenniscourt.com) · recall

  10. Henry answers that the mockery has turned the Dauphin's balls into gun-stones, and sets out to play a 'set' in France.

    Source: Folger Shakespeare Library, Henry V, Act 1 Scene 2 (folger.edu); Folger, 'Shakespeare and tennis' · recall

1.12The Lawn Game's First Steps

Pioneers before and after Wingfield, the game's crossing to America, a 15-year-old Wimbledon champion and the twins who dominated the 1880s.

Test 1Pioneers, twins and a teenage championTake a test

  1. Gem, a Birmingham solicitor, and Perera, a Spanish-born merchant, began playing around 1859, mixing ideas from rackets and the Basque game pelota; they later took the game to Leamington.

    Source: Leamington History Group, 'Major Harry Gem: pioneer of lawn tennis' (leamingtonhistory.co.uk); The Harry Gem Project · recall

  2. Their game mixed rackets with the Basque game pelota.

    Source: Leamington History Group, 'Major Harry Gem: pioneer of lawn tennis' (leamingtonhistory.co.uk); The Harry Gem Project · recall

  3. She is said to have brought a set home from Bermuda; historians still argue over whether that was in 1874 or 1877.

    Source: espnW, 'Mary Ewing Outerbridge is the mother of American tennis' (espn.com); Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame · recall

  4. Her brother was an officer of the club on Staten Island, New York; in 1880 it held a 'championship of America'.

    Source: espnW, 'Mary Ewing Outerbridge is the mother of American tennis' (espn.com); Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame · recall

  5. At 15 years and 285 days she is still the youngest winner of the Ladies' Singles; she won it five times in all.

    Source: British Newspaper Archive blog, 'Lottie Dod, the youngest winner of the Ladies' Singles at Wimbledon' (2024); Sports Illustrated Vault · recall

  6. In Wimbledon's early decades the champion did not play through the draw; they waited to defend the title against the winner of the all-comers event.

    Source: Sports Illustrated Vault, 'Wimbledon's first wunderkind' (1993); British Newspaper Archive blog (2024) · recall

  7. William won seven titles in all, three of them against Ernest, who won the title himself in 1888.

    Source: Britannica, 'Renshaw brothers' and 'William Renshaw' (britannica.com) · recall

  8. About 1859, 1874, 1881 and 1887.

    Source: Leamington History Group; International Tennis Hall of Fame; Britannica; BNA blog · recall

  9. The mid-1870s, 1880 and 1881.

    Source: espnW, 'Mary Ewing Outerbridge is the mother of American tennis' (espn.com); Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame; ITF history · recall

  10. Dod won the all-comers event and then beat Bingley 6-2, 6-0 in the challenge round to take the title.

    Source: British Newspaper Archive blog, 'Lottie Dod, the youngest winner of the Ladies' Singles at Wimbledon' (2024); Sports Illustrated Vault · recall

1.13Real Tennis Today

The old game is still played: its names, its sagging net, chases, handmade balls and the courts still in use.

Test 1The royal game in the presentTake a test

  1. Australians call it royal tennis and the French courte paume; in Britain it is real tennis.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  2. The deep sag means a shot over the middle clears the net far more easily than one near the walls.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  3. The point is not settled at once: the players change ends later and play for it, and the other player must beat the mark.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  4. Club professionals wind cloth and string round a cork centre and stitch on a felt cover; the balls are heavier and bounce less than lawn tennis balls.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  5. The court at Fontainebleau, rebuilt in the 1700s, is still played on by a club.

    Source: Château de Fontainebleau, 'Le jeu de paume' (chateaudefontainebleau.fr) · recall

  6. The Hobart court still stands on its original site in Tasmania.

    Source: Hobart Real Tennis Club, history (hobartrealtennis.com.au) · recall

  7. A French professional named Clergé is listed as the first champion, around 1740.

    Source: International Real Tennis Professionals Association, 'World Championship history' (irtpa.com) · recall

  8. Every real tennis serve must touch the side penthouse on the receiver's side before it lands.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  9. The dedans is at the service end; the tambour juts from the main wall near the hazard end, where the grille is set in the end wall.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

  10. Spectators often watch from behind the dedans netting, at the service end of the court.

    Source: Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com) · recall

1.14Wimbledon's Early Years

From Worple Road to Church Road: the first overseas champions, a court named for its old place and a very wet opening.

Test 1Wimbledon before the 1930sTake a test

  1. The first Championships, in 1877, were played at Worple Road; the club outgrew the site after the First World War.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  2. At Worple Road the main court sat in the middle of the other courts, and the name moved with the club.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  3. Sutton won the Ladies' Singles at 18; Norman Brookes became the first overseas men's champion two years later.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  4. Tilden won again in 1921 and 1930.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  5. The Doherty Gates on Church Road were put up in 1931; Reggie and Laurie Doherty won eight Wimbledon doubles titles together.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  6. Rain fell on every day of the 1922 Championships, the first at Church Road.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  7. Until then the holder waited in the final for the winner of the all-comers event.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  8. 1905, 1907, 1920 and 1922.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  9. 1897, 1907, 1910 and 1920.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships; International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com) · recall

  10. The club needed a new pony roller for its croquet and tennis lawns, and the Championships raised the money.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

1.15The Four Musketeers

The French quartet who won six Davis Cups in a row and six Wimbledons running, and the stadium built for them.

Test 1France's golden generationTake a test

  1. They ruled the game in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), the Four Musketeers · recall

  2. France had won the Davis Cup in America in 1927 and needed a stadium for the challenge round at home.

    Source: Roland-Garros official site, 'History of the stadium' (rolandgarros.com) · recall

  3. France held the cup from 1927 to 1932, until Great Britain took it in 1933.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

  4. Lacoste won in 1925 and 1928, Cochet in 1927 and 1929.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, gentlemen's singles champions · recall

  5. He was famous for rushing the net and for wearing a beret on court.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jean Borotra · recall

  6. He won Wimbledon's men's doubles four times, with Cochet and with Borotra.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jacques Brugnon · recall

  7. All four were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the same year.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), the Four Musketeers · recall

  8. 1924, 1925 and 1927.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  9. 1927, 1928 and 1933.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com); Roland-Garros official site · recall

  10. The challenge round was played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

1.16Tennis in Wartime

A bomb on Centre Court, a farm on the grounds, champions lost in two world wars and a final played as war began.

Test 1Two world warsTake a test

  1. The grounds also housed fire and ambulance services and a Home Guard unit.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, the war years · recall

  2. Captain Wilding died at Aubers Ridge in May 1915.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Anthony Wilding · recall

  3. He flew from the south of France to Tunisia; he was shot down and killed in 1918.

    Source: Roland-Garros official site, 'Who was Roland Garros?' (rolandgarros.com) · recall

  4. No team had won a challenge round from two rubbers down before.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

  5. He was a US Navy pilot; his plane went down off the coast of Florida.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Joseph Hunt · recall

  6. Shorts had been worn at Wimbledon since the 1930s, but Petra played in long trousers.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, gentlemen's singles champions · recall

  7. There were no Championships from 1940 to 1945.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  8. 1913, 1915, 1940 and 1946.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships; Roland-Garros official site; International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com) · recall

  9. One year, four years and six years.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  10. The damaged corner was still not fully rebuilt when the Championships returned in 1946.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, the war years · recall

1.17The Professionals Before 1968

Promoters, barnstorming tours and portable courts: how the best players earned a living before the Open Era.

Test 1The pro toursTake a test

  1. The tour toured North America with Lenglen, Mary K. Browne and Vincent Richards.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen · recall

  2. He also promoted football's Red Grange and a running race across America.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen · recall

  3. Tilden then toured as a professional for well over a decade.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Bill Tilden · recall

  4. Laver beat Rosewall in the final, a year before the Championships opened to all.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, 'The 1967 Wimbledon Pro' · recall

  5. They were the first players of World Championship Tennis, which started play in 1968.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Lamar Hunt · recall

  6. Hunt is in the Hall of Fame of both tennis and American football.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Lamar Hunt · recall

  7. Kramer had been Wimbledon champion in 1947 before he turned professional.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jack Kramer · recall

  8. The end of 1930, 1947, 1949 and the end of 1962.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com) · recall

  9. 1926, 1930, 1967 and 1968.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  10. A canvas court could be laid over an ice rink or a basketball floor in an evening.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jack Kramer · recall

1.18The Davis Cup's Early Years

A student's silver bowl, a two-country team, Japan's first final and the man behind the cup.

Test 1The cup's first decadesTake a test

  1. He served under President Coolidge from 1925 to 1929.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), Dwight Davis · recall

  2. Davis paid for the bowl himself while still a student at Harvard.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), the trophy · recall

  3. Norman Brookes and Anthony Wilding played for Australia and New Zealand together.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

  4. He was born in Christchurch.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Anthony Wilding · recall

  5. Japan lost the final 5-0 to the United States at Forest Hills.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), Japan · recall

  6. The challenge round was abolished, as Wimbledon had done fifty years earlier.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

  7. Brookes led Australasia's Davis Cup teams and later ran Australian tennis.

    Source: Australian Open official site, 'The trophies' (ausopen.com) · recall

  8. 1900, 1903, 1907 and 1927.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com) · recall

  9. 1900, 1925 and 1929.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), Dwight Davis · recall

  10. Every winning nation is engraved, and the original bowl ran out of room long ago.

    Source: Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), the trophy · recall

1.19Kings and Queens at Play

A future king in the Wimbledon doubles, a Swedish king called Mr G and the royal moments on Centre Court.

Test 1Royalty and the gameTake a test

  1. He played with his adviser Louis Greig; he is the only member of the royal family to have played at the Championships.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  2. The pair lost in straight sets to two veteran British players.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  3. He played in tournaments on the French Riviera well into old age.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), King Gustaf V · recall

  4. He was inducted for his years of support for the game in Sweden.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), King Gustaf V · recall

  5. Novotna cried on her shoulder at the trophy ceremony; she won the title in 1998.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  6. She took over the patronage from Queen Elizabeth II and presents the trophies.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  7. Wade beat Betty Stove in the club's centenary year.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  8. 1926, 1977, 1993 and 2016.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships · recall

  9. 1491, 1630, 1858 and 1895; Henry and Charles played real tennis.

    Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com); Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk) · recall

  10. Guests include royalty, sports stars and people who have served the game; men wear jacket and tie.

    Source: Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, 'The Royal Box' · recall

1.20Tennis at the Early Olympics

From Athens 1896 to Paris 1924: a tourist champion, a mixed-nation pair, Japan's first medal and a covered court.

Test 1Olympic tennis, 1896-1924Take a test

  1. Boland, an Irishman studying at Oxford, beat Kasdaglis in the final.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  2. Boland and Friedrich Traun won as a mixed-nation pair, which the early Games allowed.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  3. He had gone to Athens to watch the Games.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  4. He won silver in the singles and in the doubles.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org); Japanese Olympic Committee · recall

  5. She won the singles and the mixed doubles, and a bronze in the doubles.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  6. She partnered Hazel Wightman in the doubles.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  7. Richards also won the doubles with Frank Hunter.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  8. 1896, 1908, 1920 and 1924.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  9. 1896, 1904, 1912 and 1920.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

  10. The outdoor event was played on grass at Wimbledon; the covered courts event was held at Queen's Club in May.

    Source: Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org) · recall

Sources

Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court, Guinness World Records, the Chateau de Versailles, the Folger Shakespeare Library, Britannica, the Leamington History Group, espnW, the British Newspaper Archive. Wingfield, the first Wimbledon and majors, the croquet origins of the All England Club and the hourglass court are asked in Knowledge Testing and left out on purpose.

  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships17
  • Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org)9
  • Tennis & Rackets Association, 'What is real tennis?' (tennisandrackets.com)7
  • Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com)6
  • The Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court Palace, club history (royaltenniscourt.com)3
  • Folger Shakespeare Library, Henry V, Act 1 Scene 2 (folger.edu); Folger, 'Shakespeare and tennis'2
  • Leamington History Group, 'Major Harry Gem: pioneer of lawn tennis' (leamingtonhistory.co.uk); The Harry Gem Project2
  • espnW, 'Mary Ewing Outerbridge is the mother of American tennis' (espn.com); Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame2
  • British Newspaper Archive blog, 'Lottie Dod, the youngest winner of the Ladies' Singles at Wimbledon' (2024); Sports Illustrated Vault2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), the Four Musketeers2
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, gentlemen's singles champions2
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, the war years2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Anthony Wilding2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Lamar Hunt2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jack Kramer2
  • Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), Dwight Davis2
  • Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), the trophy2
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), King Gustaf V2
  • Guinness World Records, 'Oldest real tennis court' (guinnessworldrecords.com); National Trust for Scotland1
  • Accounts of the death of Charles VIII at Amboise, reviewed in World Neurosurgery (ScienceDirect, 2021)1
  • Chateau de Versailles, 'The Tennis Court Oath, 20 June 1789' and 'La Salle du Jeu de Paume' (chateauversailles.fr)1
  • Chateau de Versailles, 'The Tennis Court Oath, 20 June 1789' and 'La Salle du Jeu de Paume' (chateauversailles.fr); Louvre collections1
  • World Neurosurgery (2021); Royal Tennis Court; Guinness; Chateau de Versailles1
  • Sports Illustrated Vault, 'Wimbledon's first wunderkind' (1993); British Newspaper Archive blog (2024)1
  • Britannica, 'Renshaw brothers' and 'William Renshaw' (britannica.com)1
  • Leamington History Group; International Tennis Hall of Fame; Britannica; BNA blog1
  • espnW, 'Mary Ewing Outerbridge is the mother of American tennis' (espn.com); Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame; ITF history1
  • Château de Fontainebleau, 'Le jeu de paume' (chateaudefontainebleau.fr)1
  • Hobart Real Tennis Club, history (hobartrealtennis.com.au)1
  • International Real Tennis Professionals Association, 'World Championship history' (irtpa.com)1
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships; International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com)1
  • Roland-Garros official site, 'History of the stadium' (rolandgarros.com)1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jean Borotra1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Jacques Brugnon1
  • Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com); Roland-Garros official site1
  • Roland-Garros official site, 'Who was Roland Garros?' (rolandgarros.com)1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Joseph Hunt1
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships; Roland-Garros official site; International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com)1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com), Bill Tilden1
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, 'The 1967 Wimbledon Pro'1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com)1
  • Davis Cup official site, history (daviscup.com), Japan1
  • Australian Open official site, 'The trophies' (ausopen.com)1
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame, inductee profiles (tennisfame.com); Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk)1
  • Wimbledon.com, history of The Championships, 'The Royal Box'1
  • Olympedia, tennis at the early Olympic Games (olympedia.org); Japanese Olympic Committee1