There has been a game called Tennis for hundreds of years, with historians finding references to variations of the game played in monasteries and royal courts throughout Europe.  However, ‘Real Tennis’ was always played indoors, with complex space requirements and rules.

The game as we know it today was introduced as Lawn Tennis in 1874 by an englishman named Major Walter Clopton Wingfield.  He put together a boxed set containing a net, racquets, balls and rules …. something that was inexpensive, easy to set up, and simple to play.

The game caught on quickly and spread rapidly.  Many homes and parks had grass areas closely mown for Croquet, which had been popular during the earlier part of the century.  Lawn Tennis could use the already-prepared spaces, and was considered more lively and more entertaining.  It was just the right thing at the right time!

Development of the game into a sport followed soon.  The first All-England Championships were held at Wimbledon in 1877.  The rules of the game, and the court dimensions, were settled pretty much to where they are today by 1880.  And in 1881, the first American Championships were held in Newport, while the first Canadian Championships were held at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club in Toronto.

Niagara-on-the-Lake was right in the thick of things as Lawn Tennis became popular.  The Queen’s Royal Hotel had a grass area that was ideal for setting up courts, and the large homes being built in the town often included a grass court as well. By 1884, a significant and substantial annual event – called the Niagara International – was established at the end of August and the start of September …. to follow after the conclusion of the American Championships at Newport.

Lawn Tennis was “hot” …. and so was Niagara-on-the-Lake.