Michel d’Arcangues

Real tennis – the ancestor of all ball games – is a sport that combines dexterity, agility, sense of tactics and good vista, it is an elegant and clever game which has its roots in our ancient European history. Real tennis, although physically reasonnably demanding, does not require a lot of strength and therefore can be played by everybody after a short instruction.

I have played lawn tennis, squash and pelote basque during all my life, but I now find real tennis a more interesting game and more suited to my age – less demanding physicaly than other ball games, and tactically more challenging. The fact that it is played by a rather limited amount of players throughout the world makes it even more appealing, giving a sense of a friendly and courteous community sharing something special and unique, but welcoming new players with great pleasure.

Real tennis is ideally suited for young persons of both sexes, because of the combination of strategy and physical effort. It will give children a good combination between body and mind, and it is simply great fun once you start understanding the peculiar rules which makes it so unique among other sports.

The creation of a new court or the recreation of an old court is always good news and welcome, unfortunately many courts have been destroyed through the ages, so the Huis ter Kleef historical  program in Haarlem would a great addition to the real tennis world, and certainly with a big potential for success.