‘Real tennis’ in UK is the quirky sport of kings

Maidenhead – Josh Smith is a tennis pro with a difference – playing, coaching and even making the balls for the members at Holyport Real Tennis Club in London’s leafy commuter belt.

Smith’s domain is a cavernous and historic brick building in Berkshire, to the west of the capital, constructed in 1889 by renowned court builder Joseph Bickley.

Real tennis boasts that it is the oldest racquet sport in the world – famously played by Britain’s King Henry VIII – and it is the ancestor of the modern game of lawn tennis.

The asymmetrical court at Holyport, a jeu a dedans court, includes many quirky features such as sloping roofs, openings in the walls and a buttress sticking out from a wall – the tambour – which causes balls to change direction.

To make the game even more of a challenge, each court is unique – features remain consistent but dimensions and conditions vary. The balls are handmade and solid while the racquets are wooden with an angled head and a small sweet spot – putting the emphasis on skill and precision as well as athleticism and power.

Smith, 31, is ranked 13th in the world and wants to climb higher but at the same time must juggle his other roles at the club.

“I pretty much do everything here,” he said. “My personal ambition is to improve as a player. So I train hard and practise hard.”

Smith also coaches and looks after the impressive court, which was built at the bottom of a garden of a large house since converted into a nursing home.

“I make the balls, I string everyone’s racquets,” he said. “That, I would say, is the most unique element of the real tennis pro, just how varied our roles are.”

Real tennis, which boasts a list of world champions stretching back to 1740, is played in just four countries: France, Australia, the US and Britain.

“This game has a depth of character that other sports just don’t have,” said Smith. “It’s hard to compete with hundreds of years of history. There’s something special about that.”

Smith said it was not realistic to earn a living from playing tournaments, with limited prize money on offer. The most lucrative positions for head professionals are in the United States, but salaries in Britain are lower.

He got into the sport via squash, initially working as a real tennis professional at the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court Palace, where Henry VIII played in the 16th century. Players are able to play well into their 40s due to a heavy element of skill.

“My goal is to win old trophies, these old trophies that have been played for a long time: British Opens, French Opens, significant trophies. I want to get my name on one of those,” he said. –