List of real tennis world champions

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Men's singles championship, Dublin, 1890.

Below are the lists of real tennis world champions.

Contents

[edit] Men's singles

Men's singles in "real" tennis is the oldest world championship in sports. It predates the use of the term "real tennis," as the sport was simply "tennis" until lawn tennis gained popularity.

Except in cases where the champion has retired, the championship has always been on a challenge basis — the champion retains the title until losing an official challenge or retiring. Originally, the champion had the right to accept or reject a challenge, usually depending upon the prize money put up by the challenger's sponsor. Several years could thus go by between challenge matches. Today, however, the title must be defended every even-numbered year. The top four ranked players in the world (excluding the champion himself) play off for the right to challenge. The champion and challenger then play a match of up to 13 sets over multiple days. In theory this is the only match the champion has to play in the two years since winning the last one.

The most recent men's world championship match was on May 20, May 22, and May 24, 2008 at the Château de Fontainebleau in Fontainebleau, France where Robert Fahey won a record ninth consecutive title match.[1] The next challenge will be held May 2010 at the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia.

[edit] Men's doubles

The men's doubles title is earned in a tournament, played off among the sport's eight top-ranked pairings. Competed every odd-numbered year, it is hosted in rotation among the countries with active courts in the following order: the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and the United States. The championship match uses a best of 9 sets format. The 2009 World Championships was held at the Seacourt Tennis Club in the UK from 12 to 16 May 2009. Robert Fahey & Steve Virgona beat Bryn Sayers & Ricardo Smith in the final: 6-3,6-3,6-2,6-1,6-3

[edit] Women's singles

Unlike the men's singles title, the women's title is earned in a tournament. The title holder must win her way through the draw for the right to defend the championship. The championship tournament is held every odd-numbered year. The most recent women's singles world championship was held May 4-9, 2009 at the National Tennis Club in Newport, RI.

[edit] Women's doubles

The women's doubles world championship is held at the same time and venue as the women's singles championship. It is also a tournament format, rather than a challenge.

[edit] Mixed doubles

A mixed doubles world championship has not been organized for real tennis.

[edit] References

  1. ^ International Real Tennis Professionals Association. "The World Championships 2008". http://www.irtpa.com/index.php/realtennis/world_champs. Retrieved June 3, 2008. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_real_tennis_world_champions"