The Real Tennis World Championship is the main competition in real tennis.
The Real Tennis World Championship is the main competition in real tennis.
Men's singles in real tennis was the first world championship in any sport: it also predates the use of the term "real tennis," as the sport was called just "tennis" until lawn tennis gained popularity.
Except in cases where the champion has retired, the championship has always been on a challenge basis — the champion retains the title until losing an official challenge or retiring. Originally, the champion had the right to accept or reject a challenge, usually depending upon the prize money put up by the challenger's sponsor: several years could thus go by between challenge matches.
The top four ranked players in the world (excluding the champion himself) playoff for the right to challenge, with the champion and challenger playing a match of up to 13 sets over three days (4 sets, 4 sets and up to 5 sets on the final day). In theory, this is the only match the champion has to play in the two years since winning the last one.
The most recent men's world championship match was held in 2023, with sets being played on the 17th, 19th, and 21st of September in suburban Washington, D.C.. The next challenge will be in September 2025 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island
The men's doubles title is earned in a tournament with the sport's four top-ranked pairings (changed down from eight in 2022). Competed every odd-numbered year, it is hosted in rotation among the countries with active courts in the following order: the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and the United States. The championship match uses a best of nine sets format.
After the first championship was won by Tim Chisholm and Julian Snow, [8] the title was won and then defended five times by singles world champion Rob Fahey and Steve Virgona. They lost their title in the final set of the final match in 2015, in a championship held at Prested Hall (UK).
The title now belongs to Camden Riviere and Tim Chisholm.
Unlike the men's singles title, the women's title is earned in a tournament: the title holder must win her way through the draw for the right to defend the championship.
The championship tournament is held every odd-numbered year. Since 2011, the title has been held by Claire Fahey (née Vigrass). [9]
| Year | Venue | Winner | Runner-Up | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Melbourne |  Judith Clarke |  Lesley Ronaldson | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1987 | Seacourt | Judith Clarke | Katrina Allen | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1989 | Philadelphia | Penny Fellows | Sally Jones | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1991 | Hobart | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | Sally Jones | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1993 | Bordeaux | Sally Jones | Charlotte Cornwallis | 5/6 6/2 6/3 |
| 1995 | Newport | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | Sue Haswell | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1997 | Ballarat | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | Sue Haswell | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1999 | Hampton Court | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | Sue Haswell | 2-1 (sets) |
| 2001 | Washington | Charlotte Cornwallis | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2003 | Melbourne | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | Charlotte Cornwallis | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2005 | Paris | Charlotte Cornwallis | Jo Iddles | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2007 | Manchester | Charlotte Cornwallis | Penny Lumley (née Fellows) | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2009 | Newport | Charlotte Cornwallis | Karen Hird | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2011 | Melbourne | Claire Vigrass | Karen Hird | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2013 | Paris | Claire Vigrass | Sarah Vigrass | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2015 | Leamington | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass) | Sarah Vigrass | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2017 | Tuxedo | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass) | Sarah Vigrass | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2019 | Ballarat | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass) | Isabel Candy | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2022 | Fontainebleau | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass) |  Lea van der Zwalmen | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2023 | Oratory | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass) | Lea van der Zwalmen | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2025 | Newport | TBC | TBC |
The women's doubles world championship [10] is held at the same time and venue as the women's singles championship. It is also a tournament format, rather than a challenge.
| Year | Venue | Winner | Runner-Up | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Melbourne | Judith Clarke/Ann Link | Lesley Ronaldson/ Karen Toates | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1987 | Seacourt | Lesley Ronaldson/ Katrina Allen | Judith Clarke/ Jane Hyland | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1989 | Philadelphia | Sally Jones/ Alex Garside | Katrina Allen/ Penny Fellows | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1991 | Hobart | Sally Jones/ Alex Garside | Penny Lumley/ Helen Mursell | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1993 | Bordeaux | Charlotte Cornwallis/ Penny Lumley | Sally Jones/ Alex Garside | 6/0 6/4 |
| 1995 | Newport, Rhode Island | Sue Haswell/ Penny Lumley | Sally Jones/ Lesley Ronaldson | 2-1 (sets) |
| 1997 | Ballarat | Sue Haswell/ Penny Lumley | Fiona Deuchar/ Kate Leeming | 2-0 (sets) |
| 1999 | Hampton Court | Sue Haswell/ Penny Lumley | Alex Garside/ Sally Jones | 2-1 (sets) |
| 2001 | Washington | Jo Iddles/ Penny Lumley | Alex Garside/ Charlotte Cornwallis | 2-1 (sets) |
| 2003 | Melbourne | Jo Wood (née Iddles)/ Penny Lumley | Alex Garside/ Kate Leeming | 2-1 (sets) |
| 2005 | Paris | Charlotte Cornwallis/ Sue Haswell |  Frederika Adam/ Susay Castley | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2007 | Manchester | Charlotte Cornwallis/ Penny Lumley | Sue Haswell/ Kate Leeming | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2009 | Newport, Rhode Island | Charlotte Cornwallis/ Karen Hird | Amy Hayball/ Juliette Lambert | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2011 | Melbourne | Claire Vigrass/ Sarah Vigrass | Karen Hird/ Rosie Snell | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2013 | Paris | Claire Vigrass/ Sarah Vigrass | Penny Lumley/ Tara Lumley | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2015 | Leamington | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass)/ Sarah Vigrass | Penny Lumley/ Tara Lumley | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2017 | Tuxedo Club | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass)/ Sarah Vigrass | Amanda Avedissian/  Saskia Bollerman | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2019 | Ballarat | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass)/ Tara Lumley | Penny Lumley/ Kate Leeming | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2022 | Fontainebleau | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass)/ Sarah Vigrass | Saskia Bollerman/ Isabel Candy | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2023 | Oratory | Claire Fahey (née Vigrass)/ Tara Lumley | Lea van der Zwalmen/ Saskia Bollerman | 2-0 (sets) |
| 2025 | Newport | TBC | TBC |
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