It is not every day that a new Real Tennis court is revealed to the world, but this is one of those days. A perfect reason for issuing a special November addition to the seasonal Radley College newsletter. We also have splendid news of club members’ recent success on court to share with you. Happy days!
Chase The First, the excellent monthly newsletter of the US Court Tennis Association, enters its 13th year of production and its 145th issue (we salute you, Jane Lippincott!) with the splendid news of the completion of the court at Sand Valley, Wisconsin: ‘American Court Tennis has its newest venue – this one at a resort more well-known for another royal ancient game. Brothers Michael and Chris Keiser have completed the country’s 11th court, the centerpiece of a sparkling new Tennis Center that features dining, a pro shop, locker rooms and 15 outdoor grass courts.
“We are so excited to introduce our guests – and fans of golf and racquets in general – to the game and this new court,” Michael Keiser said. It’s such a wonderful pairing with the traditions and history of golf. My brother and I grew up playing all racquet sports, and it’s an honor to promote the one that started it all.”
Court Tennis, including lessons and equipment, will be available at Sand Valley starting next spring.’
The new tennis court, resplendent and ready for play, pays due homage to the traditional black walls and red floor familiar to so many players but also displays more than a passing nod to the superb year-old court at Westwood, with its viewing areas and off-court configuration, In fact, we believe that viewing from above the play line above the penthouses is actually more extensive than at Westwood, running well into the hazard side of the court. The glazing in the clerestory and the roof structure add elements of extra architectural excitement as well as height above the court. Will balls hit over the cross-supports be ‘in’ or ’out’, we wonder? Precedents exist for both options. Whether there will be decoration in the grille, at the top of the gallery and service lines and elsewhere on the court is not yet known, but if it appears in due course, our money is on mammoths. Who doesn’t love a mammoth?
Congratulations to the Keiser brothers and to the construction team for producing this stunning court, which we can’t wait to visit!
Congratulations also to those Radley members who performed so well in the National Inter-Club Team Tournament last weekend, which was held at the Leamington and Moreton Morrell courts. Radley’s David Harris won the Singles competition and Radley’s Nick Gordon won the Doubles, teaming up with Ian Falconer from Lord’s. In the team event, Scotland (whose home court for tournament purposes is Radley) won the Team Competition, being represented by Nick Gordon & Ian Falconer with Dan Worboys from Prested. Radley finished third and Andrew Leslau & Tim Roberts joined David Harris to compete the side. This year, the entry included teams from clubs, schools, countries and professions. It was a hugely enjoyable event and not just for those who were awarded as many trophies and as much champagne as they could lift, like Ian and Nick below:
And morecongratulations are due, this time to Radley’s Mike Henman won the Oxford Club Championship last month, a year after his son, Henry, won it. Are there other examples, we wonder, of a father having followed a son to win such a competion before? Henry was considered to be too strong a player to enter the tournament this year and so joins the likes of Roman Krznaric who sits it out, year after year; quite an acolade. No photo of the players has just found it way to me yet, after Mike’s tighter-than-tight 6-4, 4-6, 6-5 win over Geoff Baker, but I imagine there was a large pile of laundry to take home! If you have ever seen Mike play, you will know what I mean, as the duration of his matches is often counted in shirts rather than sets.
On Friday this week (tomorrow), the Division V Radley team of Mike Henman and Paul Bollerman (the Dutch Open Champion of the past two years), will be playing a National League match at Radley against our friends, but in this case, rivals, from Bristol. There will be two singles and a doubles rubber, starting at 6pm, and there will be wine and cheese served for a modest charge. Please come and support our players, who love to put on a show. You will be most welcome and we look forward to seeing you there!
Radley College Tennis Court 