MICHAEL SEYMOUR (H 54-60): A LIFE-LONG PASSION FOR REAL TENNIS

In May Michael once again represented Great Britain in the 2024 Over 80s Real Tennis World Championship, winning matches against Australia, the USA and The Rest of the World to retain the Munoz Trophy for GB, having won the previous biennial event in Paris 2022.

In the world Championship individual events the following week, Michael reached the finals of the World Over 80s Doubles played at Queen’s Club, sadly to be beaten in 3 sets by a strong American pairing.

Michael’s recent victories are impressive and come from playing for many years. During his career, spanning 5 decades, Michael has achieved 9 International caps and has played all over the world, including Paris, Hobart and Melbourne. Michael didn’t discover Real Tennis until he left Bradfield where he had excelled at Fives and went on to achieve a blue at Cambridge in Fives.

So why Real Tennis?

Real Tennis is the original form of Tennis, probably originating in Southwest France, although also originally played in Italy and Spain. It was played by many royal families, including of course Henry VIII and Charles I of England, James V of Scotland, Francis I and Henry II of France and William of Orange. At one point, there were 200 courts in Paris alone. Cardinal Wolsey had a court next door to Henry VIII.

Most players who play both Real Tennis and its later version, Lawn Tennis, will say that Real Tennis is by far the better and most interesting sport of the two. Played at professional level, the standards are incredible. Real Tennis also has the advantage that it is a sport that can be taken up in middle age and still played competitively courtesy of an effective handicapping system.

Edward Fairbairn (SCR 82-02) and David Barnes (SCR 67-92) introduced many Bradfieldians to the sport in former years. Charlie Billington (H 93-98) is probably the best player Bradfield has produced and won a blue at Cambridge. In the collation of material for this article we have discovered that there are more Old Bradfieldian Real Tennis players out there…

There is a public school alumni Real Tennis tournament with competitors from Radley, Wellington, Eton, Harrow, The Oratory and others and Michael is keen that Old Bradfieldians should include a team to enter.

This article was co-written with Michael and we were very sad to learn of his recent passing.

If you play Real Tennis and would be interested in meeting other Old Bradfieldians who play, email The Bradfield Society on bradfieldsociety@bradfieldcollege.org.uk and we will put you in contact.

MICHAEL SEYMOUR (H 54-60): A LIFE-LONG PASSION FOR REAL TENNIS

So why Real Tennis?

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