The Original Rules of Tennis

Author: Henman, Tim, Barrett, John

Social & cultural history

Published on 4 June 2010 by Bodleian Library in the United Kingdom as part of 'the Original Rules' series.

Hardback | 64 pages, 28 Illustrations, black and white
158 x 109 x 11 | 100g

While Jeu de paume has been played in France for hundreds of years and was associated with the French and English medieval and renaissance courts, the modern game of tennis dates from 1874, when the rules were defined by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. Published in association with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon), this book examines the history of the rules of tennis from their first codification to the present day. It also looks at the circumstances of the composition of the first rules, their scope, and afterlife, as they moved from manuscript to publication.