The Birth of Lawn Tennis - 2nd edition

Published early 2024 - Please pre-order to guarantee your copy

Updated and revised edition of this seminal work on the game's early years.

We are delighted to announce the publication of this second edition of The Birth of Lawn Tennis.

Written by the English and American tennis historians - Bob Everitt and Richard Hillway, this fine hard back book is lavishly produced with a wealth of previously unpublished illustrations and photographs (over 500) from the authors' own collections. Their research is seamlessly combined to form a tremendous tribute to both the game of lawn tennis and the past, present and future of the renowned All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

This seminal work on the birth of the game and its development over the first four years of its life begins with a detailed study of Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, the inventor. It examines his doubters and rivals, dispelling common myths as it cleverly weaves its way through a chronology of events culminating with a detailed description of the staging of the first Wimbledon Championship in 1877 and the players who took part. This mighty tome has taken authors Bob and Richard twenty years to compile. The depth of their research is breathtaking. Extending to over 570 pages, the book includes biographies of the players and tournament officials, with masses of information on manufacturers, a comparison of the rules, and a time-line of lawn tennis related events. Fully indexed, it will be a book desired by all tennis history loving fans and bibliophiles.

Foreword and edited by John Barrett MBE

Reaction to the first edition:

“Every now and then a book appears that transforms our understanding of its subject. This is one of those seminal works.”
John Barrett

“It is the most well researched and wonderfully illustrated book on the history of the early years of any major sport that I have ever seen.”
Larry Lawrence

ISBN: 9781913412593
Format: Hardback
Pages: 572
Size: 280mm x 220mm
Weight: 2100 grammes
Illustrations: Full colour throughout