In the two decades after the Second World War real tennis was a little-known, little-played sport, considered the private domain of a privileged few and probably a relic of a game played by monks in their spare time. However, the last thirty years of the twentieth century saw a change in the fortunes of the game. Numbers of players worldwide began to grow and with this growth came a greater interest in the history of the game. Now the sport is flourishing in many parts of the world, along with an interest in the interrelated history of many ball games, especially those which were being played and, in some cases, are still being played in Europe. This book gives an overview of the game, looking particularly at its history, other related ball games, equipment and rules, heroes, villains and victims of real tennis and the game in Europe, Australia and the United States.