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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.
by 
by Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Vintage Tennis Balls
Brad McCall serves up the definitive vintage tennis ball site ('hermetically sealed fresh under pressure'). Browse … [read review or visit site]
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This elegant tribute to turn-of-the-century bicycling includes memorabilia, photographs, and an index of 3140 bicyc… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Outdoor Sports
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Top eBay Auctions
A Pair Very Early And Rare Square-headed French Lawn Tennis Rackets C.1880
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Grand Slam Auto Autograph : Maria Sharapova #1/1
Vintage Hardwood Boxed Set Of Jaques Ping Pong Or Table Tennis With Extras! Nr
Roger Federer & Andy Murray Autographed Wimbledon Tennis T-shirt With Coa
Vintage Antique Hazells Streamline Tennis Racket 'blue Star' 1930's Racquet
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic #ba-rn1 Rafael Nadal Tennis Signed Auto 18/35
2013 Ace Authentic Leaf Signature Series Tennis Factory Sealed Hobby Box
2013 Ace Authentic Leaf Signature Series Tennis Factory Sealed Hobby Box
Vintage Grafighter Tennis Racquet-graphite/wood Combo - Unique! Euc L@@k! Norsv
Novak Djokovic 2013 Leaf Ace Tennis Auto Autograph Card Ba-nd1 #d 2/7 Rare L@@k
Roger Federer & Andy Roddick Autographed Wimbledon 2005 Tennis Ball With Coa
Rare Antique Higgins Winton Hedley Wilson Wooden Tennis Racquet 4 Racket Lot +
Jimmy Connors Signed Book The Outsider W/coa & Picture From Signing Tennis Hof 
1910s German Porcelain Half Doll / Pincushion Doll Flapper Girl W/ Tennis Racket
Novak Djokovic Autographed Wimbledon Tennis Cap With Coa
Novak Djokovic Autographed Wimbledon Tennis Polo Shirt & Coa
Vintage Antique Slazenger 'special'tennis Racket 1890' Flat Top Racquet
Vintage 1980's Nike John Mcenroe "rebel With A Cause" Poster Tennis
Vintage Wood 1920 Bentley Niagara Falls Speed King Rare Maker Tennis Racket 
Vintage Head Vilas Wood Tennis Racket Sz 4 1/2 L
Caroline Wozniacki #07/35 Auto 2013 Leaf Ace Signature Tennis Top 40 Autograph 
Historic Ca.1883 Cornell University Tennis Photo: Professors Playing Outdoors Ny
Antique Tennis Ball Can, Opened With Two Balls
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Mystery Cut Redemption Tennis
Antique Tennis Ball Can Unopened W Turn Key On Bottom
Rafael Nadal Tennis Legend Hand Signed Book + Coa
Dunlop John Mcenroe Max Volley Vintage Tennis Racquet 4 3/8 3l Grip
Vintage Adidas Nastase Professional Pro Ads 586 Tennis Racket Wooden 70s Belgium
2013 Ace Authentic Leaf Signature Series Tennis Factory Sealed Hobby Box
Vintage Delmar Wooden Wood Tennis Racquet Racket With Case
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Auto Autograph Card : Roger Federer #10
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Mystery Redemption Executive Tennis Cut Signature Auto
Tad Davis Classic Clasiden Laminated Vintage Tennis Racquet 4 3/8 3l Grip
2013 Ace Authentic Grand Slam Rafael Nadal Tennis Signed Auto 5/5 
Antique Spalding Championship Tennis Balls Vintage
Vintage Simmons American Wooden Wood Tennis Racquet Racket
1933 Sport Kings Graded Card-bill Tilden-tennis-psa Very Good+-3.5
Vintage Dunlop Maxply Fort Wood Tennis Racquet 
~ ~ Maria Sharapova Sign 2006 Ace Card ++ 2 4x6 Photos ~ ~
Andy Roddick (us Open & Wimbledon) Autographed Tennis Photograph With Coa
Rafael Nadal Autographed Tennis Photograph With Coa - Mint Condition
Rare Vintage Wright & Ditson Tennis Balls In Metal Unopened Can
1955 Davis Cup Official Tennis Program
Vintage Excellent Wood 1920 S D & G New York Rare Maker Tennis Racket 
Vintage Bancroft Wood Tennis Racket-labeled Forest Hills-nice
Winchester Ranger Tennis Racquet Antique Vintage Wood Wooden Racket
Bjorn Borg - Pliva Rare Sticker
Vintage Dunlop Max 200g - Made In England
Billie Jean King 2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Hall Of Fame Autograph 5/10 Sp
2013 Leaf Ace Rafael Nadal Sp Autograph /15 Grand Slam
2013 Ace Authentic #ba-nd1 Novak Djokovic Tennis Signed Auto 
2011 Ace Ex - Dual Memorabilia Booklet - Maria Sharapova / Rafael Nadal 17/59 
Bjorn Borg 2013 Leaf Ace Tennis Cut Autograph Hall Of Fame Auto
Rare Vintage Bosworth Performance Fox Dynamite Tennis Racquet + Cover~grip 4-1/2
Vintage Dunlop Maxply Fort Wooden Badminton Or Squash Racket
Vintage Chemold Magaret Court Signature Model Tennis Raquet
1967 Scholastic Coach Magazine Lot (6) Track & Field Tennis Basketball + Covers 
Vintage Lot Of 4 Original Jokari Racquet Paddles Champ Model & Pro Set Wood
2013 Leaf Ace Authentic Tennis Top 40 Auto Autograph : Rafael Nadal #5
Maria Sharapova Autographed 8x10 Photo W/ Coa
Recent News: Tennis
Source: Google News
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 ...
sportal.de, May 14thTommy Haas ist beim ATP-Turnier in Rom früh gescheitert, dagegen erreichte Fed-Cup-Spielerin Julia Görges in der WTA-Konkurrenz an gleicher Stelle nach überstandener Magen-Darm-Infektion die zweite Runde. Der an Nummer 13 gesetzte...Read more
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 ...
sportal.de, May 6thDer Vater des australischen Tennisprofis Bernard Tomic soll beim ATP-Turnier in Madrid in eine handgreifliche Auseinandersetzung verwickelt gewesen sein. Laut Medienberichten soll John Tomic den französischen Trainingspartner seines Sohnes...Read more