The balls were traditionally white, but around the end of the 20th century 'optic yellow' was introduced for improved visibility, as had been done years earlier in lawn tennis. The 2 + 1⁄ 2-inch (64 mm) diameter balls are handmade and consist of a core made of cork with fabric tape tightly wound around it, compacted by outer windings of string, and covered with a hand-sewn layer of heavy, woven, woollen cloth, traditionally Melton cloth (not felt, which is unwoven and not strong enough to last as a ball covering). Unlike latex-based technology underlying the modern lawn tennis ball, the game uses a cork-cored ball which is very close in design to the original balls used in the game. The sport is supported and governed by various organizations around the world.Įquipment Racquets and balls Balls Other countries have currently disused courts, such as the two in the Republic of Ireland. There are more than 50 active real tennis courts in the world, located in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and France.

The term real was first used by journalists in the early 20th century as a retronym to distinguish the ancient game from modern lawn tennis (even though, at present, the latter sport is seldom contested on lawns outside the few social-club-managed estates such as Wimbledon). Many French real tennis courts are at jeu de paume clubs.

It is also known as court tennis in the United States, formerly royal tennis in England and Australia, and courte-paume in France (to distinguish it from longue-paume, and in reference to the older, racquetless game of jeu de paume, the ancestor of modern handball and racquet games). Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called 'the sport of kings' – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis (also called 'lawn tennis') is derived. Jesmond Dene jeu à dedans court in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, view toward service end

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