Few tennis players today have ever played on a grass court. Most have never seen a grass court. Because they’re so uncommon, the tendency is to regard grass tennis courts as very special …. expensive …. reserved for the well-to-do … even ‘exclusive’.
But from the outset, Lawn Tennis was designed to be quite the opposite …. to be, in fact, as ‘inclusive’ as possible. The notion of playing on the lawn arose from the observation that many homes had one. Cut the grass a little shorter than usual … run a heavy roller over it to smooth out some of the bumps …. and it was ready for a net and some lines. What could be simpler?
Tennis played in a garden setting is serene. There’s little sound from the ball as it bounces. There’s little sound from the footsteps of the players. Smooth and alert movements are encouraged by the uncertainty associated with many of the bounces taken by the ball. The absence of fencing encourages courtside spectating, as does the coolness from nearby trees. Stray balls tend not to roll far in the longer grass beyond the lines. Taken all together, it’s a pretty picture indeed, and easy to understand how the playing of the game came to be associated with pleasant social times as well : gather friends and family in the garden for some afternoon games and conversation; continue into the evening with a shared meal and some music. Life before the electronic age.
Similar types of home-garden gatherings continue to our day, though Lawn Tennis will seldom be part of the mix. What does continue, however, is the tradition of combining ‘tennis’ with ‘social’. Throughout the world, wherever tennis is played, it’s most enjoyed in the company of like-minded players who forge friendships around the game. Although tennis isn’t perceived as a team sport, it’s best played in the company of a group that functions like a team …. with players providing support to one another, showing up because they know they’re needed, encouraging and stimulating each other to maintain or improve the level of play.
A Tennis Club, at its best, is designed to replicate the feel of the old-fashioned garden party … a place to gather informally, to meet others with whom to pair up for a game, and with sufficient amenities to provide reason to linger.
Lawn Tennis was designed to be inclusive, to be for ‘everyman’. A modern Tennis Club today achieves the same desirable outcome.
This grass tennis court was constructed earlier in the summer at Hillary House in Aurora Ontario, as part of a celebration of the history of tennis in the area. On the hottest afternoon of the season, it was a delightful place to play.