Tennis players went back in time as they experienced the game how it was when their club started a century ago.
Hartswood Tennis Club, nestled between houses in Hartswood Road, Chiswick, clocked up 100 years on Saturday (3) with a weekend of special events attended by 300 guests.
Renowned British tennis players Danny Sapsford and James Auckland took 70 members - men, women and juniors - under their wing for coaching sessions.
These concluded with two fantastic exhibition matches which owed more to entertainment that to winning.
The Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion as well as a whole new set of honours boards inside the clubhouse.
The club also welcomed John Love from the Lawn Tennis Association who presented the committee chairman Andrew Monk with a ‘Club Mark Status’ certificate.
Guests were also treated to a barbecue, with all the meat supplied for free by local butchers Mackens; free Pimms sponsored by local estate agents Finlay Brewer and free beer provided by Fullers.
Many other local businesses made significant contributions and along with substantial donations by two contractors who help maintain the tennis club, the whole event was incredibly well supported.
On Sunday (4) a fancy dress 1914 tournament took place with everyone encouraged to dress how people 100 years ago did.
Wooden racquets and old-fashioned white balls had to be contended with as players struggled to imagine how their compatriots of the past coped.
Hartswood Tennis Club is a vibrant and thriving local club that welcomes new members young and old - http://www.hartswoodtennis.co.uk
