History of the Original Racquet Sport

The oldest of racquet sports, court tennis is believed by some to have been played, in some form, as early as ancient Greek and Roman times. The game evolved during 12th century France as the pastime of monks and bishops and was played in medieval monastery cloisters. This helps explain the interesting and asymmetric shape of the court. Although all courts in use today are similar, slight variations make each one unique.

By the 14th century the game had largely moved from the monastery to the castle where royalty including Henry VIII were known to play.

The game was first brought to the United States in 1876 when several Americans who had played in England, built a court in Boston. Although the game has always been nourished by its supporters, Court Tennis is beginning to grow and change again. Today the sport is beginning to leave the castles and the elite clubs and become more widely available. Today a small but loyal following keep the game alive with approximately 50 courts throughout the world.

Photographs by Judy Karpinski. Watercolor by Charles Matheson.

Prints may be purchased by contacting Prince's Court.

A mere 1,000 Americans play on one of the 9 court tennis courts in the U.S. - all in the East, in exclusive clubs or private courts. The Prince's Court here in McLean, Virginia and the National Tennis Club in Newport, R.I., are the only two courts to offer this unique game to the general public. Prince's Court was the first to build a glass main wall that runs the entire length of the court. This enhancement provides a more pleasant viewing experience for every spectator.

In the past, the game was generally played by men. However, like everything else "times have changed". Similar to golf, Court Tennis uses a handicap system. Each player is assigned a handicap based on their level of play. For every match, the scoring is adjusted using a predefined formula and factoring in each player's handicap. Because of this handicap system, the sport is now attracting all family members. Prince's Court has several women and junior members and has even produced the first American Junior to win the British Open.

In addition to the amateurs who play Court Tennis, there is an elite group of touring and club pros who play in professional tournaments across the US and around the world. There are thousands of enthusiastic court tennis players and spectators around the world who attend these tournaments and the numbers are growing.

Court Tennis is a remarkable sport in that it can be played by all for an entire lifetime. Each player can learn new shots and strategy for as long as they play. For this reason the game of kings is still the king of games!!!.