The Oratory Tennis Club plays on the real tennis court of the Oratory School in Woodcote, South Oxfordshire. It was the first school in the United Kingdom to construct a court for 80 years, finishing the building in 1990.
The club is primarily made up of paying members of the public, but also of Oratorians (boys from the school). Over recent years the UK Professional Singles Tournament has been held at the court and in April 2006, the World Championships are scheduled to take place there. Jonathan Howell, the President of the International Real Tennis Professionals Association is the Sports Executive of the school and the club and Mark Eadle is the Senior Professional. Bryn Sayers has recently been appointed as Assistant Professional.
The court itself is modern, fast and possesses a 'bouncy' feel to it. The school has one of the most successful school real tennis teams ever, with regular appearances in the finals of national competitions, and in recent years has produced such players as Richard Greenland and Paul Knox.
Famous quotes containing the words oratory, tennis and/or club:
“Some of the greatest and most lasting effects of genuine oratory have gone forth from secluded lecture desks into the hearts of quiet groups of students.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“I know some of my self-worth comes from tennis, and it’s hard to think of doing something else where you know you’ll never be the best. Tennis players are rare creatures: where else in the world can you know that you’re the best? The definitiveness of it is the beauty of it, but it’s not all there is to life and I’m ready to explore the alternatives.”
—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
“Mi advise tu them who are about tu begin, in arnest, the jurney ov life, is tu take their harte in one hand and a club in the other.”
—Josh Billings [Henry Wheeler Shaw] (1818–1885)