Hyde Real Tennis Club Land Sports

Real tennis is the ancient game from which the modern game derives. Hyde Real Tennis Court re-opened in 1998 and is one of only 25 in the UK.

In real tennis the court is enclosed by wall on all sides, three of which have sloping roofs with various openings and a buttress off which shots can be played. The courts are doubly asymmetric, one end is different in shape from the other and the left and right sides differ!

Another twist to the game is the various windows below the penthouse roof that, offer the player a chance to win the point instantly by hitting the ball into the opening. The resulting long volleys and shots off the side walls and penthouse roof leads to many interesting shots not normally played in lawn tennis. However, because of the weight of the balls, the small racquets, and the need to defend the rear of the court, lawn tennis strategies like serve and volley are rarely employed.

The Hyde Tennis Court was built in 1884 by Joseph Gundry on his estate in Walditch. Unfortunately by 1911, the court had fallen out of use and it tennis playing future looked bleak. After the war, the empty shell of what was once a tennis court became a cow shed, until 1995 when Joseph Gundry's grandson, died and left the court in an open will to anyone who could restore the building within a year of his death. A committee formed and HRH Prince Edward re-opened the tennis court on the 13th of June 1998.

Additional Information

Please contact the Hyde Real Tennis Club or look at thier website for more information on how to get involved.

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