Royal Melbourne Tennis Club
Encyclopedia
The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club (RMTC) is one of only five real tennis
clubs in Australia
, and the site of one of less than fifty real tennis venues in the world. The RMTC is the second oldest in Australia and the largest. It is one of only five clubs in the world with more than one court (along with Queens Club in London, Prested Hall, Cambridge University Real Tennis Club and the Racquet and Tennis Club
).
The RMTC is the home of the Australian Open, as well as the largest (in terms of player involvement) Real Tennis tournament in the world, the Boomerang Cup. Robert Fahey
, the longest-serving world champion of all time, was a professional at RMTC prior to his move to the UK.
. This building originally consisted of a real tennis
court and club rooms, but later included squash courts (said to have been Australia’s first) and an indoor swimming pool.
The Club’s status was enhanced in 1897 when Queen Victoria granted a Royal Charter to the Club enabling it to be known by its present title The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. Thomas Stone was appointed the first Professional and manager of the Club and was in time succeeded by his son Woolner Stone. Thomas and then Woolner each made an immense contribution to the Club over a period of many years.
As the City of Melbourne expanded, the costs of owning expensive City real estate and of maintaining the Exhibition Street building had risen beyond the means of the Club. In the early 1970s the Committee sold the site and established the present Club premise in Richmond
. The new courts and clubhouse was officially opened in 1975 by Lord Aberdare, President of the Tennis and Rackets Association and the facilities now include two tennis courts, a squash court, bar, swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, library/meeting room and dining room.
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
clubs in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and the site of one of less than fifty real tennis venues in the world. The RMTC is the second oldest in Australia and the largest. It is one of only five clubs in the world with more than one court (along with Queens Club in London, Prested Hall, Cambridge University Real Tennis Club and the Racquet and Tennis Club
Racquet and Tennis Club
The Racquet and Tennis Club is a private social club and athletic club located at 370 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets, New York, New York.-Building:...
).
The RMTC is the home of the Australian Open, as well as the largest (in terms of player involvement) Real Tennis tournament in the world, the Boomerang Cup. Robert Fahey
Robert Fahey
Robert Fahey is an Australian real tennis player.On 27 April 2006, at the Oratory Tennis Club in Woodcote, South Oxfordshire, he matched the great Pierre Etchebaster's feat of seven consecutive defenses of the real tennis singles World Championship, which he has held since 1994...
, the longest-serving world champion of all time, was a professional at RMTC prior to his move to the UK.
History
In 1882 Lord Normanby, the Governor of Victoria, opened the court of the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club in Exhibition Street, MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. This building originally consisted of a real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
court and club rooms, but later included squash courts (said to have been Australia’s first) and an indoor swimming pool.
The Club’s status was enhanced in 1897 when Queen Victoria granted a Royal Charter to the Club enabling it to be known by its present title The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. Thomas Stone was appointed the first Professional and manager of the Club and was in time succeeded by his son Woolner Stone. Thomas and then Woolner each made an immense contribution to the Club over a period of many years.
As the City of Melbourne expanded, the costs of owning expensive City real estate and of maintaining the Exhibition Street building had risen beyond the means of the Club. In the early 1970s the Committee sold the site and established the present Club premise in Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
. The new courts and clubhouse was officially opened in 1975 by Lord Aberdare, President of the Tennis and Rackets Association and the facilities now include two tennis courts, a squash court, bar, swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, library/meeting room and dining room.