Real Tennis

Tennis as the monks played it: Oxford University's real tennis is a million miles away from the professional circuit.

Real tennis is the original form of the racquet game that evolved into the familiar sport of lawn tennis. A craze that spread across Europe from France in the 16th century, this indoor version was once played by the British royal family until the Puritans put a stop to it. By the 20th century the sport was kept up by enthusiasts such as the club at Merton College in Oxford visited here by Geoff Meade of ATV Today who finds out how to play the game that also inspired squash.