International Tennis Day
International Tennis Day is an annual celebration to raise the profile and catalyze interest in the game of tennis—real tennis, court tennis, jeu de paume. Founded in 2014, International Tennis Day is funded by the U.S. Court Tennis Preservation Foundation, directed by the U.S. Court Tennis Association and supported by all the other national tennis governing bodies and associations in the world. The aim is to motivate current players and to mobilize new ones who have not played tennis before. International Tennis Day occurs annually on 20 June.
Our goal is to have the nearly fifty tennis-playing clubs, schools and universities around the world celebrate International Tennis Day simultaneously with exhibitions, marathon matches, tournaments, clinics and parties. Each participating court has a sturdy and colorful, International Tennis Day banner designed to fit the grille. Everyone who participates in International Tennis Day uploads photos and reports to the ITD website and on social media using hashtag #itennisday.
What is Court Tennis?
Clubs that have participated in ITD celebrations:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Aiken Tennis Club
Georgian Court University
National Tennis Club
Prince’s Court
Racquet Club of Chicago
Racquet Club of Philadelphia
Racquet & Tennis Club
Tennis & Racquet Club
Tuxedo Park Tennis Club
The Dutch Real Tennis Association
Irish Real Tennis Association
FRANCE
Societe Sportive de Jeu de Paume et de Racquets
Cercle du Jeu de Paume de Fontainebleau
AUSTRALIA
Royal Melbourne Tennis Club
Hobart Real Tennis Club
Ballarat Tennis Club
ENGLAND
Canford School
Leamington Tennis Court Club
Newmarket Real Tennis Club
Oxford University
Queens Club
Radley College
Seacourt Tennis Club
Why June 20th?
June 20 was chosen for the celebration of International Tennis Day as it falls on the anniversary of the Tennis Court Oath, taken on 20 June 1789 by nearly 600 people at a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles. The Tennis Oath was a pivotal event at the start of the French Revolution. Jacques-Louis David’s iconic 1791 painting “Le Serment du Jeu de Paume” is perhaps the most famous image of a tennis court. To celebrate the painting and its communal message of hope and change, International Tennis Day was started on 20 June in 2014.
The ITD Banner:
To annually create a sense of unity among the clubs on three different continents, we have produced banners for display on each court. The banners measure 3×3 feet, sized to fit perfectly in the grille. Designed to take a beating, they are made from thick, premium vinyl and have grommets in all four corners making hanging easy. The International Tennis Day banners are provided courtesy of the U.S. Court Tennis Preservation Foundation.
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