List of real tennis world champions

Men's singles championship, Dublin, 1890.

Below are the lists of real tennis world champions.

Men's singles

Men's singles in "real" tennis is the oldest world championship in sports. It predates the use of the term "real tennis," as the sport was simply "tennis" until lawn tennis gained popularity.

Except in cases where the champion has retired, the championship has always been on a challenge basis — the champion retains the title until losing an official challenge or retiring. Originally, the champion had the right to accept or reject a challenge, usually depending upon the prize money put up by the challenger's sponsor. Several years could thus go by between challenge matches. Today, however, the title must be defended every even-numbered year. The top four ranked players in the world (excluding the champion himself) play off for the right to challenge. The champion and challenger then play a match of up to 13 sets over three days (4 sets, 4 sets and up to 5 sets on the final day). In theory this is the only match the champion has to play in the two years since winning the last one.

The most recent men's world championship match was held in 2015 at The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club, where Robert Fahey defended his title against challenger Camden Riviere. The next world championship challenge will take place at the National Tennis Club in Newport, RI USA 17, 19 & 21 May, 2016 where Rob Fahey will defend his title against Camden Riviere.

To date there are 25 players who have been declared a Champion (of England vs France or considered the best player at that time) and after 1885 officially "World Champion" when the 13 set challenge format was introduced in the 1885.

Men's doubles

The men's doubles title is earned in a tournament, played off among the sport's eight top-ranked pairings. Competed every odd-numbered year, it is hosted in rotation among the countries with active courts in the following order: the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and the United States. The championship match uses a best of 9 sets format. After the first championship was won by Tim Chisholm and Julian Snow, the title was won and then defended five times by singles world champion Rob Fahey and Steve Virgona. They lost the title in the final in 2015, in the most recent championship held at the Tuxedo club.[1]

Women's singles

Unlike the men's singles title, the women's title is earned in a tournament. The title holder must win her way through the draw for the right to defend the championship. The championship tournament is held every odd-numbered year. The most recent women's singles world championship was held May 4–9, 2009 at the National Tennis Club in Newport, RI.

Women's doubles

The women's doubles world championship is held at the same time and venue as the women's singles championship. It is also a tournament format, rather than a challenge.

Mixed doubles

A mixed doubles world championship has not been organized for real tennis.

References

  1. ↑

External links

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