Merton Street tennis court

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File:Oxford University Tennis Club.jpg

Merton Street tennis court is the home of the Oxford University Real Tennis Club.{{cite book | title=The Encyclopaedia of Oxford | publisher=Macmillan | chapter=Real Tennis | year=1988 | page=356 | isbn=0-333-39917-X | editor-last=Hibbert |editor-first=Christopher |editor-link=Christopher Hibbert }} It stands on the north side of Merton Street in central Oxford, England, and forms part of Merton College.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

There has been a tennis court in Oxford since 1450 and one at the Merton Street site since c. 1494, according to one source.{{cite web| url=http://www.tennisbookshop.com/real.htm | title=Real Tennis: Tennis and how it gave birth to lawn tennis | publisher= The Tennis Bookshop | accessdate=18 August 2012 }} Alternatively, according to another source,{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/features/2004/09/secret_oxford.shtml | title=Secret Oxford | publisher=BBC | date=August 2004 | accessdate=18 August 2012 }} Oxford has had a court since 1595 and one at this site when it was rebuilt in 1798. The Merton Street court, being early, has somewhat non-standard dimensions, and in particular an unusually flat tambour (a buttress used as part of the court). {{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

It is the smallest court in England and the second oldest.{{cite web | url = https://rctc.club/about-2/ | title = About | website = Radley College Tennis Court | access-date = 2022-09-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210227100356/https://rctc.club/about-2/ | archive-date = 2021-02-27}}