People''s History of Tennis

Pristine lawns, tennis whites, strawberries and cream, tennis is synonymous with the upper echelons of society, but scratch beneath the surface and you'll quickly discover a different history, one of untold struggles on and off the courts.

From the birth of modern tennis in Victorian Britain to the present day, we bear witness to struggles around sexuality, gender, race and class that have transformed the nature of tennis and sport itself. A People's History of Tennis is populated by diverse voices, recounting the sport's gay origins, 'Workers' Wimbledon', battles for gender equality and more.

Going beyond centre court, this book reveals the hidden history of the game, providing a rich account of the challenges faced and victories won.

List of contents

Introduction

1. Mavericks

2. Feminists

3. Members

4. Stars

5. Players

6. Socialists

7. Entrepreneurs

8. Performers

9. Enthusiasts

10. Immigrants

11. Outsiders

12. Trailblazers

13. Professionals

14. Amateurs

Conclusion

Timeline of (Lawn) Tennis

Notes

Bibliography

Acknowledgements

Index

About the author

David Berry is a writer, journalist and filmmaker. He has written about health and leisure for a variety of publications, and for twenty-five years he was a documentary director for the BBC. He has been playing tennis since he was eleven years old.

Summary

Tennis is much more than Wimbledon! This story reveals the hidden history of the sport.

Product details

• Authors: David Berry
• Publisher: Pluto
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.05.2020
• EAN: 9780745339658
• ISBN: 978-0-7453-3965-8
• No. of pages: 256
• Dimensions: 136 mm x 216 mm x 20 mm
• Series: People's History
• Subjects: Guides > Sport > Ball sport; Non-fiction book; Tennis, Diskriminierung, Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte, Geschichte allgemein und Weltgeschichte, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Discrimination & Race Relations, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, SPORTS & RECREATION / Tennis, Social and cultural history, SPORTS & RECREATION / Racket Sports / Tennis