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The modern version of tennis is credited to a Welsh major named Walter Clopton Wingfield, who patented the game in 1874. Wingfield gave his pastime two names: the Greek derived “sphairistike” and “lawn tennis.” Not surprisingly, the second name stuck.
Within a year, the All England Croquet Club at Wimbledon had added lawn tennis to the diversions offered to its members, and in 1877, the words “Lawn Tennis” were formally added to its name. That was also the year the club held its first championship in men’s singles. Tournament play for what we now call the U.S. Open began in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1881. Thus, the first two tennis Grand Slams were born—the first French Open was played in 1891, the Australian Open arrived in 1905, and in 1915 the U.S. Open moved to Forest Hills, New York.
For collectors of tennis memorabilia, anything from the 19th century is a prize, be it a wooden racquet strung with gut or an early trophy, although such pieces are mostly the st...
More accessible are items from the 1920s, the so-called golden age of tennis. On the men’s side, when Bill Tilden wasn’t winning Wimbledon, René Lacoste (of crocodile-logo-shirt fame) was. Helen Wills Moody was the star among female players, winning Wimbledon eight times in the ’20s and ’30s, which stood as the record until Martina Navratilova won her ninth in 2000.
Vintage tennis memorabilia from the years between the wars include sports posters advertising matches at Wimbledon, the availability of courts at a luxury resort, or the latest Slazenger or Spalding tennis balls. More recently, posters from Roland Garros, site of the French Open, have gained a following. Ticket stubs to any of the Grand Slams are also collected.
For some reason, vintage tennis racquets are not as expensive as you might think they would be. Some people collect racquets of famous players. Jack Kramer swung a wooden Wilson, and his namesake racquet was introduced in 1948. Rod Laver and John McEnroe, whose on-court demeanor could not have been more different, both used a Dunlop Maxply, while Bjorn Born played with Bancrofts and Donnays.
Arthur Ashe was a racquet pioneer, playing a Head metal-and-plastic racquet called the Arthur Ashe Competition in 1969—its flat face was distinctive but did not last in tennis circles. Jimmy Connors was also a metal head, winning numerous championships in the 1970s with his Wilson T2000.
Today, the most widely collected tennis items are probably tennis-ball cans, from cardboard to metal, and player autographs. Collectors and fans look for signatures on everything from tennis balls to photographs, trading cards, and magazine covers.
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Top eBay Auctions
A Pair Very Early And Rare Square-headed French Lawn Tennis Rackets C.1880
Lobster Pitching Machine Vintage Electric Tennis Ball Great Shape 
2013 Ace Tennis - Top 40 Certified Autograph Auto 1/5 - Maria Sharapova
(103) 12 Allen And Ginter Auto And Game Used Mini Lot Michael Phelps Federer Sp 
Lot Of (4) Vintage Skill Professional Tennis Paddles No: P-i-g-s Apta Approved
Vintage Hardwood Boxed Set Of Jaques Ping Pong Or Table Tennis With Extras! Nr
Maria Sharapova Signed 1/1 Rc
2013 Ace Leaf Tennis Maria Sharapova Grand Slam #5/5 Auto
Nike Air Tech Challenge Ii Andre Agassi Lava Infared Sz 10.5 Tennis Vintage
Maria Sharapova 2008 Ace Authentic Autograph Card 4/10 Rare! 
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Rafael Nadal Signature Autograph Auto /35
Roger Federer & Andy Roddick Autographed Wimbledon 2005 Tennis Ball With Coa
John Mcenroe Rebel With A Cause Times Square Tennis Poster (c.1986)
Roger Federer Nike Lunarlite Vapor Tour Us9 2010 Indian Wells Shoes Rare New 
Jimmy Connors Signed Book The Outsider W/coa & Picture From Signing Tennis Hof 
Rafael Nadal Nike Air Max Court Ballistec 2.3 Shoes Miami Masters Rare Federer
Roger Federer 2011 Australian Open Nike Vapor 8 Shoes Sz Us 9 Nadal Rare New
Roger Federer Signed Tennis Ball With Coa
2013 Ace Authentic Leaf Signature Series Tennis Factory Sealed Hobby Box
Novak Djokovic 2013 Leaf Ace Tennis Auto Autograph Card Ba-nd1 #d 2/7 Rare L@@k
1933 Goudey Sport Kings #16 William Bill Tilden Psa 4 Hof Rc 
2013 Ace Authentic Leaf Signature Series Tennis Factory Sealed Hobby Box
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic #ba-rn1 Rafael Nadal Tennis Signed Auto 18/35
New Oakland Raiders Reebok All Black Shoes Tennis Jackson Long Mcfadden
Vintage 1980's Nike John Mcenroe "rebel With A Cause" Poster Tennis
Belle Vue V Wimbledon Speedway Programme 9 September 1933
Wilson Chris Evret Pro Staff Brand New Tennis Racket Vintage W/tags
1909 The Lawn Tennis Handbook, Champion, Rules, Laws, Regulations, Olympic Games
2013 Ace Leaf Tennis Ana Ivanovic Grand Slam #10/10 Auto Yellow Verison
1910s German Porcelain Half Doll / Pincushion Doll Flapper Girl W/ Tennis Racket
Vintage Wood 1910 Spalding 
(3) Vintage Wood Tennis Racquets Rackets New Never Used Regent Omega Crown Vtg
Vintage Delmar Wooden Wood Tennis Racquet Racket With Case
Antique 1910 Wilson Premier Warped Tennis Racquet (racket) Memorabilia *nr* 
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Ana Ivanovic Signature Autograph Auto Blue 5/5
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Maria Kirilenko Signature Autograph Auto /15
2013 Ace Authentic Grand Slam Rafael Nadal Tennis Signed Auto 5/5 
Vintage Dunlop Mcenroe Maxply Wood Tennis Racket + Mcenroe Memorabilia
Donnay "bj
Original Vintage Poster Tennis Roland Garros 1986 France Large Billboard Sports 
Historic Ca.1883 Cornell University Tennis Photo: Professors Playing Outdoors Ny
1902 Solid Silver Ladies Tennis Champion Brooch : Maud Herron 1902
2013 Leaf Ace Tennis Blue Auto Autograph Anna Kournikova 1/5 Wow !
Houston Texans Tennis Shoes
2013 Ace Leaf Tennis Sabine Lisicki #02/10 Yellow Auto
Antique Tennis Ball Can, Opened With Two Balls
Antique Tennis Ball Can Unopened W Turn Key On Bottom
Lot Of 2 Vintage/antique Tennis Rackets, Metal & Wood
Vintage Amilcare Santini Sculpture Of Rod Laver Tennis Player
Rare Vintage Prince Graphite Series 90 Tennis Racquet Wimbledon Black/green
2013 Ace Leaf Tennis Victoria Azarenka Base Sp Auto #13/15
2013 Ace Leaf Tennis Green 1/1 Nancy Richey Grand Slam Auto
Bjorn Borg - Pliva Rare Sticker
Vintage Wilson Tennis Ball Can Shaped High Ball Glasses Set Of 4
Andre Agassi Rock And Roll Tennis Camp Vintage Nike Poster (1991)
Vintage Bancroft Wood Tennis Racket-labeled Forest Hills-nice
Tennis Nike Brand Womens Dri Fit Dress Outfit Size Large 12/14 Pink & Lt. Green
2013 Leaf Ace Rafael Nadal Sp Autograph /15 Grand Slam
Rare Vintage Wright & Ditson Tennis Balls In Metal Unopened Can
1950's Slazenger Challenge Wood Vintage Tennis Racquet
Recent News: Tennis
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Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > Tobias Kamke in Düsseldorf im ...
sportal.de, May 22ndDavis-Cup-Spieler Tobias Kamke steht als erster deutscher Tennisprofi im Viertelfinale des ATP-Turniers in Düsseldorf. Der Weltranglisten-77. aus Lübeck setzte sich gegen Lucky Loser Aljaz Bedene (Slowenien) 6:1, 6:4 durch und trifft nun auf Juan...Read more
Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > French Open: Angelique Kerber ...
sportal.de, May 22ndDeutschlands beste Tennisspielerin Angelique Kerber würde bei den am Sonntag beginnenden French Open auch auf sich selbst als Siegerin wetten. Wenn sie "1000 Euro übrig hätte", sagte die Kielerin der Sport Bild, würde sie "je 250 Euro auf Sharapova,...Read more
Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > Serena Williams gewinnt in Rom ...
sportal.de, May 19thSerena Williams hat das WTA-Turnier in Rom gewonnen und sich endgültig zur Top-Favoritin für die French Open in Paris (26. Mai bis 9. Juni) aufgeschwungen. Die Weltranglistenerste aus den USA setzte sich gegen die Weißrussin Victoria Azarenka nach...Read more
Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > Rom: Schnelles Aus für Haas ...
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Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > Kei Nishikori wirft in Madrid ...
sportal.de, May 9thKei Nishkori hat beim ATP-Turnier in Madrid die Überraschung geschafft: Der 23-Jährige Japaner, an Nummer 14 gesetzt, besiegte den Weltranglisten-Zweiten Roger Federer in drei Sätzen mit 6:4, 1:6, 6:2 und steht nun im Viertelfinale. Ein schnelles Break...Read more
Sie sind hier: Startseite > Tennis > Top News > Vater von Tennis-Profi Tomic ...
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