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Anyone for Tennis? 'Wimbledon' Shakespeare to serve

William Shakespeare was talking balls - and we've got the proof!

With the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in full swing in William Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary year, let's enjoy a few of Shakespeare's best tennis-related quotes. We'll also peek into the world of Real Tennis - a game familiar to Shakespeare, which was very different to ...

  • Sue Barker kicked off the 大象传媒's Wimbledon 2016 coverage by reading Shakespeare's seasonal Sonnet 18.

  • Try our quiz and test your Bard knowledge! (or read on for a few clues first...)

Helen Mirren as Rosalind in As You Like It - 大象传媒 TV Shakespeare, 1978

We contacted the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum to find out a bit more about real tennis, the ball game familiar to Shakespeare and mentioned in several of his plays.

They kindly shared a few images. Some are from a slightly later period, from the 17th to the 19th century, charting the evolution of tennis.

Here's a photo of an ancient real tennis ball, with four stitched vellum sections around straw stuffing. There appears to be a second/inner layer of vellum. It's not known if the addition of the outer layer was meant as a repair.

'Real' is a term coined in the early 20th century to distinguish the ancient game from the modern grass one. Known in England as 'Royal' tennis, it was popular amongst the royalty and aristocracy. This engraving shows The High Borne Prince James Duke of York, borne October the 13. 1633, later King James II - playing Royal Tennis with a short handled racket.

Credit (c) WLTM
19th century real tennis racket originally owned by Albert, The Prince Consort. The racket was presented to the Marylebone Cricket Club by his son, the future King Edward VII. (credit (c): WLTM)
Early real tennis racket made by F.H. Ayres, 1875-1880. Racket sold at the time by W.Payne and Son. (credit (c): WLTM)

"Thou cannot be serious!"

How would great players of the modern era have fared at Real Tennis? , its rules, conventions and complexities

John McEnroe at Wimbledon

  • Mike Bushell went to meet Claire Vigrass, who rules the world in the sport of Real Tennis in which there are nearly 40 types of serve.

Talking balls (tennis ones) with William Shakespeare...

There are numerous allusions to tennis and balls in the plays. From Juliet hoping for the nurse to deliver her message of love as swiftly "as a ball", to King Henry V threatening to "play a set" against France.

To serve you up a fine selection of clips, we've delved into the , as well as the more recent series...

Shakespeare and Tennis - Henry V

From The Hollow Crown, starring Anton Lesser and Tom Hiddleston

Shakespeare and Tennis: Romeo and Juliet

From the 大象传媒 TV archive

Shakespeare and Tennis: As You Like It

What does it mean to "bandy"? - from the 大象传媒 TV archive

Shakespeare and Tennis: Hamlet

From the RSC production starring David Tenant

"Tennis balls, my liege..." Henry V (The Hollow Crown)

King Henry V did not take the French Dauphin's 'gift' of tennis balls kindly. From this seemingly mocking gesture, Henry was roused to "play a set/ Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard...

...And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his/ Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones

The King added further insult, informing the Dauphin of his intentions for the balls!...

Romeo and Juliet - 大象传媒 TV archive

Had she affections and warm youthful blood, / She would be as swift in motion as a ball. / My words would bandy her to my sweet love,/ And his to me.

As she impatientlly waits for a message of love, Juliet twice uses tennis terminology. 'Bandy' is likened to an exchange (verbal and physical) or a particular kind of surprising return shot in tennis.

Tennis in As You Like It (大象传媒 TV archive)

The 1963 RSC production of As You Like It featured Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind. In this clip, Patrick Wymark's Touchstone appears to be threatening William over the object of their affections, Audrey.

I will bandy with thee in faction. I will o'errun thee with policy. I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways.

Another use of the term 'bandy'...

Tennis in Hamlet

There was he gaming, there o'ertook in鈥檚 rouse, There falling out at tennis,鈥� or, perchance, 鈥淚 saw him enter such a house of sale...

In this clip from the RSC's production of Hamlet, Polonius is about to send Reynaldo off to France to check up on Polonius's son Laertes. Polonius briefs him on what to say - Reynaldo may mention Laertes "falling out at tennis"...

Mixed doubles?

Derek Jacobi as Hamlet and Claire Bloom as Gertrude - 大象传媒 TV Shakespeare, 1980

What a racquet

David Lloyd Meredith as Corin in As You Like It - 大象传媒 TV Shakespeare, 1978

New balls? (always keep a spare)

Kenneth Colley as Duke Vincenti in Measure for Measure - 大象传媒 TV Shakespeare, 1979

What are you planning to do with that, Titus?

Trevor Peacock as Titus Andronicus - 大象传媒 TV Shakespeare, 1985

#WimbledonShakespeare on Twitter

A roundup of your witty puns during the tennis season...

More on Shakespeare...

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  • Watch some of the most memorable Shakespeare speeches, as chosen by the RSC, featuring Peggy Ashcroft, Patrick Stewart, Vanessa Redgrave and more

  • From the Bard's influence on pop music to his face appearing on a 拢20 banknote, discover more unorthodox and unusal tales of Shakespeare from past to present

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