The best Real Tennis you will ever watch (Compilation)

Real Tennis, often called "Court Tennnis" or the "Game of Kings" is the original racquet sport from which modern day tennis is derived. The game is still played enthusiastically on 43 or so remaining courts worldwide. The footage is taken from Day 2 of the 2016 World Championship, where Rob - the defending world champion needed to put his mark on a match which was rapidly slipping away from him. What happens next needs to be seen to be believed!

[NathanHarrison]

Five minutes ago I had never even heard of this sport. Looks incredibly dynamic. I’m surprised it’s not more popular today. Like a mix of tennis and racquetball.

[joeburrier]

I started with reading the declaration of independence, and Wikipedia links got me here.
I should get off the toilet.

[adamplace]

I'd read about real tennis, but watching it is fucking bananas. The instant recognition of the angles and reaction times of the players is amazing to watch.

[axadams]

Just learned of this game's existence today. Found it by looking up "the sport of kings": this is one of them. Fascinating piece of living history.

[RadicalCaveman]

I do not understand this game, but this is beautiful play.

[brianearnst]

Just learned about this sport. Now that's REAL tennis.

[wendyleeconnelly]

I could swear I saw this on TV when I was a kid in the 1970s. I can't say if it was on regularly. But I think more than a couple of times. Maybe it was something covered by "Wide World of Sports"

[nitehawk]

Thanks to Tom Scott and the Technical Difficulties for bringing this up. I hope to see the Windy City Open, sometime. :)

[Lochlanist]

I feel like this sport has birth two modern sports. Both tennis and squash

[nimascolari]

800 years old. The court is designed based on the city center, city walls and the shops around it. Hence the windows and slopes around the sides. There is a service side and receiving side. So they change sides to serve. Hitting the big windows in the back is a point. Hitting the small windows in the corner is a point. The only out is the ceiling or top windows. Serves must be off the slopes.

[shabzone]

It seems incredibly unfair for one side to have that corner wall for the guy to attack xDDD and the two walls are not identical either

[rabihbadr]

Have the court filled with water, and the players riding horses. THAT would be "Real Tennis".

[antoinev]

note too that this kind of ... "place" is still existing in the south west of France and Spain ( or south america i am quite sure ( like Jai alai))
but we practice a sport called pelote and this place is called a " trinquet" :)

[antoinev]

Of what i know, this " real tennis" is "jeu de Paume" and was introduced in the US a the early XXth or end of the XIXth ?? ( at a time Paris was changing a lot, turning to " city of lights") when a rich american helped some frenchies to move their club of " jeu de paume" .from one place to another. today remains this club in Paris (16). :)

[JimBob-vgog]

This is me playing tennis at my local, the potholes force you to react 😁

[liorlotem]

This is SO strange...
What's the idea behind playing with old gear ? Do all courts have the same form (with the pillar etc.)?

[HankHell]

5:18 The shot that makes the metallic sound - what was that?
Also at 5:47 - this also made a strange sound and a bad bounce.
Are there targets to shoot for?

[georgestavrinides]

One of the guys is around 50 and the other around 30. Does that make sense?

[anweshaghosh]

The game Padel Tennis seems to be a modern rendition of real tennis !1

[woofdoogy]

My friend brought me to his Squash club in downtown Boston. The place was pretty vacant and my other friend and me wandered into a match. No one else watching except the officials. We both turned around and quietly showed out selves out. It was kinda creepy