Obscure Tennis Facts Trivia Quiz

Answer: George VI

As Duke of York, Prince Albert (later King George VI) was a keen tennis player and entered Wimbledon with his RAF tennis doubles partner, Wing Commander Louis Grieg. Being Wimbledon's Jubilee year, this was a high profile event and both King George V and Queen Mary were present on the opening day to witness their son's defeat at the hands of two veteran English players with a combined age of 110 years.

Answer: John Mary Pius Boland

Having been invited by a Greek friend from his university days to spend the Easter holidays in Athens, John Boland looked forward to soaking up the sun and having a relaxing time. His friend, Thrasyvoalas Manaos, who was involved with the organizing committee in charge of the Olympic men's tennis events, had other ideas however, and persuaded John that the only tennis court available in Athens just happened to be in the Olympic venue, so if he fancied a quick game..! Having won the singles, he was subsequently persuaded that, by virtue of the fact that he had studied in Bonn, he was half-German and therefore eligible to play for Germany, which he did, winning the gold medal in the men's doubles.

Answer: She had previously competed as a man

Virginia's American opponent, Dr Reneé Richards, had previously played as Richard Raskind, before undergoing gender reassignment surgery two years earlier. In 1960 he was beaten in the final of the US Nationals at Forest Hills, New York by Australian Neale Fraser; and 17 years later the 42 year-old opthalmologist suffered defeat again at the same venue. Quite a distinction nonetheless to have played in the US Championships and competed in both the men's and women's singles events!

Answer: Major Walter Clopton Wingfield

Three years after this patent was granted, Wimbledon staged the world's first ever lawn tennis tournament. On Thursday 19th July, 1877 two hundred patrons paid the sum of one shilling each to watch the all-British final, which was of course interrupted by rain! A surveyor by the name of Spencer W. Gore emerged victorious and walked away with the Challenge Cup and twelve guineas in prize money.

Answer: King James I of Scotland

Scotland's King James I enjoyed a game of the precursor of modern lawn tennis, known as royal, or real, tennis. He used to play at Blackfriars Monastery in Perth, where the balls would always seem to make their way into a small open sewage drain at the corner of the court.

This so incensed the king, that he had the drain blocked up. Bad move! A few days later, on the night of 20th February 1437, a band of men broke into his apartments intent on asssassinating the king. James sought refuge under the floorboards, intending to escape through the drainage system and out via the tennis court.

Unfortunately, unable to exit through the now sealed drain, he was caught and murdered.