My Science School

Royal or real tennis is the distant ancestor of lawn tennis, the game which is now played all over the world.

     The old game of Royal tennis was popular with the kings of both England and France in the 16th and 17th Centuries. It is mentioned in Shakespeare’s play Henry V. when the French Dauphin sent a contemptuous gift of tennis balls to the English king. A famous tennis court at Hampton Court Palace, near London, was built for Henry VIII in 1530. But the earliest known rules date from 1599, and those used today were drawn up in 1878.

     The game, which can be even more strenuous than lawn tennis, is played by two or four players, with a ball made of tightly bound cloth strips and rackets made of ash wood. About 27 inches long and weighting 15-17 ounces. The enclosed walled court is usually 96 feet long and 30 feet wide, with gallerious and openings which form the scoring points. Scoring is generally similar to lawn tennis, but usually the best of 11 games is played.