Real Tennis

Introduction

‘Real Tennis’ one of the several games often called “the sport of kings”, the game is also known as the court tennis in the U.S. or the royal tennis in Australia and England. It is a racket sport that has came from and is almost identical to the tennis game of medieval times jeu de paume (“game of the palm”). The term realm was first introduced by the journalists in the early 20th Century to differentiate the game from the modern lawn tennis. Real tennis is still played till date in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and France despite a proved history of the courts presented in Germany the sport eventually died out there during or after the Second World War. Today, the sport is supported and governed by a number of organizations all around the world.

Objective

Hit the ball over the net into the opponent’s court in such a way that the opponent cannot return the ball validly.

Events

• Singles: Men’s Singles or Women’s Singles events
• Doubles: Men’s Doubles or Women’s Doubles events
• Mixed Doubles: Pair of one male and one female player each side

Participants

Real Tennis is played by either two players (one player per side) or by four players as a game of doubles (two players per side).

Equipment

Real Tennis - Net

The net is approximately 5 feet high at the sides and around 3 feet at the center.

Real Tennis - Wristbands

Players wear wristbands to wipe perspiration from their face.

Real Tennis - Shoes

Lightweight shoes with wide, flat soles are used that provide stability and support during matches.

Real Tennis - Shorts/Skirts

Men always wear shorts while women can wear shorts or skirts according to their choice. 

Real Tennis - Shirt

Players usually wear soft, comfortable and lightweight cotton shirts during the play.

Real Tennis - Ball

Yellow or white-colored balls weighing around 2.5 ounces with a diameter of 2.5 inches are used. It consists of a core made of a cork wrapped in fabric tape with a covering of hand-sewn “Melton” cloth. Real tennis balls are heavier and less bouncy than lawn tennis balls.

Real Tennis - Racquet

A racquet is a sports equipment used in real tennis that has an open hoop tied with a handle frame.

Techniques

Serve

It is the starting stroke of a point. The server must hit the ball into the diagonally opposite service court. The most common serve is made by tossing the ball in the air and then hitting it.

Forehand

It is the most used shot in tennis as well as in real tennis too as it is the most natural one in which the stroke begins on the dominant side of the body.

Backhand

It is a difficult shot to master than a forehand shot as it is played from the non-dominant side of the body in which the back side of the hand is shown to the opponent.

Grip

It is a way of holding the racquet to play the shots. The main types of grip are: Eastern grip, Continental grip, Western and semi-western grips and two-handed grip.

Lob

It is a shot in which the ball is hit high and deep into the opponent’s court which either enables the player to win the point or to get into a better defensive position.

Volley

It is a stroke made before the ball touches the ground. This shot cuts the time for the opponent to react. It is usually made close to the net but can be made from any part of the court.

Drop Shot

It is a stroke in which the ball bounces low and near the net making it difficult for the opposing player to reach it before it bounces twice.

Smash

It is a powerful overhead shot generally made in response to a lob that has failed to clear the player’s head. A smash shot is usually hit with great force to end the point.

Playing Area

The real tennis court is an enclosed four walls court from all the sides. Three of them have sloping roofs, known as penthouses beneath which are several openings from where the spectators watch the game. The court is split into two halves by a net, the side from where the spectators watch the match is the service side while the other one is the hazard side.

Officials

Referees

• The duties and responsibilities of the referee in real tennis includes:-
• Must be well versed with the rules and regulations of the game
• Keep a inscribed record of the score and also of the chases
• Call for service faults on or above the service penthouse
• Guide and advise the marker on all the marking decisions wherever he is uncertain, but the referee must guide the maker only in the case where he requests for assistance
• Give clarification when asked to do so
• The referee must be seated to the right of centre in the Dedans.