Throughout the site we mention a couple of books worth buying if you can find them. We also have some other books for sale under the “FOR SALE” section. These two excellent books are:-

Jeanne Cherry’s “Book of Antiques & Collectibles” by Amaryllis Press 1995 ISBN 0-9646571-0-4
A fabulous introduction to all things tennis- racquets, clothing, balls, art etc. 185+ pages

Seigfried Kuebler’s “Book of Tennis Rackets” by Kuebler GmbH ISBN 3-9802903-9-5 English edition
Racket history, manufacture, brands from early days to late 1990’s. Comprehensive effort with plenty of photos and updates are planned as collectors submit photos and information. 600+ pages. Also, a 2010 update has now been launched in very limited numbers.

We are also pleased to support Australian tennis authors and you will find some titles FOR SALE under that section.

In relation to Siegfried Kueblers Book please contact Rolf Jaeger. There are ONLY 30 LEFT & AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM www.tennisboutique.com

Gianni Clerici “The Ultimate Tennis Book” by Follett Publishing ISBN 0-695-80559-2 1975 English edition.
Also published in Great Britain under the title “Tennis”
A very good book about the history of tennis from the 1500 hundreds, to the modern game. Excellent. 300+ pages

Recently, Wimbledon Society Museum Press has reproduced the 1874 ” The Game of Sphairistike or Lawn Tennis” by patent recipient and original game promoter Major Walter Wingfield. Only 38 pages but a true piece of tennis history. Available currently from Angus and Robertson in Australia on request. ISBN 9781904332817

In relation to Australian Tennis, there have been many books written, perhaps more consistently around the 1950’s era and into the 1960’s. Most of these related to books by players, however some excellent books have been produced by Alan Trengove and Jack Pollard.

There have also been some excellent Club books and State Association books some old and some newish.

Here are some good ones to look for:

General Australian Tennis or State History Books

Lawn Tennis in Australasia by “Austral” (of the Referee) R.M.Kidston 1912

(See pictures below)

An Illustrated History of Australian Tennis R.S.Whitington 1975

Australia’s Wimbledon Champions by Allan Kendall 1995 (nephew of Jack Crawford now in his late 80’s)

Tennis The Greats 1920’s -1960’s by Adrian Quist & Jack Egan (an ABC TV book c1984)

Lawn Tennis the Australian Way by Jack Pollard 1963 reprinted updated 1971

Game, Set and Glory by Bruce Matthews 1985

Australia and the Davis Cup by Alan Trengove 2000

The Story of the Davis Cup by Alan Trengove 1985 Excellent statistics

A Century Of Queensland Tennis 1988 by Sunshine Publishing for the QLTA

Tennis West (History of Tennis in West Australia) by Harry Phillips

Country Cracks, The story of NSW Country Tennis: Ron McLean

History of Tennis: 100 Years of Tennis in Wagga Wagga & Districts 1889-1989 by Jim Elphick

Australian Lawn Tennis Magazines

This list will be adjusted overtime as greater research is undertaken.

Australasian Lawn Tennis magazine 1923 (Copies held MCC LIbrary)

Was designed to become the mouthpiece for the all state associations and the National Body. The articles represent stories about interstate and country tennis plus reports from play in the Davis Cup and overseas.

The company as floated Australasian Lawn Tennis Publications Limited with rights taken over from Australasian Publications including the rights to a publication by R.M.Kidston called the Australasian Lawn Tennis Annual (pre 1920)

An excellent source of player information, coaching, competition play, visiting internationals and product ads.

Photo quality very average. 1923 black & white. Post float enhanced covers and some full colour advertising.

From the State Library of Victoria

All Tennis – Atlas Press 1926-28 (evolved to below)

All Tennis & Australian Golf – Farrow Falcon Press 1928-1930

Tennis & Golf – Farrow Falcon Press 1930-1932

The Australian Golf and Tennis Magazine -Farrow Falcon Press 1932-1937

Australian Lawn Tennis & Badminton 1939

Australian Tennis – Tech Ad Publishing NSW 1949 -1954

Victorian Tennis News- 1954+ South Yarra

Australian Tennis – Nicholson Media Group 1993+ (now sold to Tennis Australia)

Some excellent Club Histories

Kooyong LTAV “A Serve to Authority” Richard Yallop (includes the Australian Open until it moved to Melbourne Park in 1988) 1992

Royal South Yarra Tennis Club also by Richard Yallop 1984

The Sweet Spot (Geelong Tennis Club) By Graeme Kinross Smith 1982

Amazing Grace (History of Grace Park Tennis Club) by Joseph Johnson and researched by Clive Oliver 1989

Australian Open

Our Open 2004 (an excellent compilation of ex player stories about the Tournament with results from over the years). The 100 years of official results is also good for researching but you can find results for all grand slams under our links page.

Player Books

Crowded Galleries by Dame Mabel Brookes (wife of Norman & with tennis chapters by him) so an exellent insight into the period when he won Wimbledon and the Davis Cup with Anthony Wilding. Also includes Norman’s top ten list as viewed by him from the mid 1950’s. 1956

My Game by Lew Hoad 1958

Winning Tennis by Frank Sedgman 1955

Rosewall 20 years at the top by Peter Rowley 1976

Aces and Places by Harry Hopman 1957

The Margaret Smith Story 1967 by Margaret Smith as told to Don Lawrence

Home The Evonne Goolagong Story by Evonne and Phil Jarrat 1993

Overseas Books

I am not trying to list everything here but books which contain a good commentary on Australian players.

The Game My 40 Years in Tennis by Jack Kramer with Frank Deford 1981

The Bud Collins History of Tennis Encyclopaedia and Record Book

The Fireside Book of Tennis by Allison Danzig and Peter Schwed 1972

Anything written by A Wallis Myers usually contains some excellent stories and photos about Norman Brookes and Anthony Wilding in the 1905-1919 era.

Some Australians wrote books or contributed to titles.

Edward Dewhurst, W.V.Eaves, Stanley Doust, Anthony Wilding (NZ)

In Wallis Myers book Tennis At Home and Abroad 1903, Australian Les Poidevin does give readers an insight into the development and news about tennis in Australia. Note this copy is signed by the author a rare inclusion.

This Australian book produced in 1912 was the first one we know of that covers the History of Tennis in Australia, written by an Australian sporting journalist and top player R M Kidston (NSW), from the beginnings to 1912. It includes all manner of information about players, techniques, The Davis Cup and in particular Norman Brookes’ efforts during Cup play and at Wimbledon. Kidston (see pic) went on to publish the Australasian Lawn Tennis publication and contributed to many other variations.

Even more interesting are the early results for the interstate and state championships.

A great source of information and photos comes from collecting programmes which can often be signed. While some collect for clean versions without writing, I prefer to find programmes where the owners have written the results in to help present the unfolding of the tournament. Another tip is to get the programme one year ahead of a particular result you were aiming for since the story of last years tournament will be presented in some form along with photos, previous results, history of event etc.

Programmes were produced for all major tournament, Davis Cup and professional events.

The first intercolonial NSW v VIC tennis tournament (See early tournaments for more examples)

Wimbledon ticket to ground and then Grand Stand A (1888)