The International Tennis Club of Washington "The Story of the Prince's Court" --- Stephen Smith When Prince's Court opened on October 11, 1997, it marked the first time since 1918 that a real tennis court had been built in the United States. The ceremony, attended by 300 friends of the game, including representatives of eight American and six British clubs, had the graciousness and respect for tradition that characterize the Sport of Kings. There were expressions of gratitude to major donors who helped finance the $650,000 facility (all told, upward of 200 donations were received from enthusiasts in the four tennis-playing countries), a "world championship" photograph of those in attendance, a lavish buffet, and an exhibition match between two professionals, George Wharton of Newport and Steve Ronaldson of the Canford School in England. The air of effortless grace, another hallmark of the ancient game, belied the 10-year struggle that had gone into the building of the court. The driving force was Haven N.B. Pell, son of C.C. Pell, who was one of America's greatest racquets players and also an avid court tennis player. Two decades earlier, Clarry Pell supervised the rebuilding of the Newport court, which had been nearly destroyed by fire. The younger Pell put together a group of Washingtonians who had played court tennis at Newport, New York, Greentree and various courts in England. The committee included Frederick H. Prince, whose generous support made the court possible; Temple Grassi, who proselytized the virtues of the Washington undertaking up and down the eastern seaboard; and Robin B. Martin, son of the American champion Alastair Martin, another key backer of the court. Other regulars at the often-gloomy board meetings were Randall B. Rowe, Charles T. Cudlip, Ian B.R. Fowler, Francis de C. Hamilton, Charles T. Matheson, Robert Bland Smith, and Stephen G. Smith. There was ample reason for gloom. Three years were spent organizing and planning a court at a Washington private school before a last-minute demand scuttled the effort. Three more years and another set of plans went into a court that was to be built at a small Washington college; once again, a last-minute snag proved fatal. Ordinary mortals would have lost heart, but Pell seemed to grow more determined with each setback, a family trait familiar to anyone who had ever stepped on a court with his father. The breakthrough came when it was decided to build the facility under the auspices of the United States Court Tennis Preservation Foundation, which is dedicated to developing players and introducing the game to a wider public. "Court tennis in America was traditionally played in private, all-male, all-white clubs, and we wanted to broaden horizons," Pell said. "We especially wanted to stimulate interest among women and young players." An ideal site was found at the Regency Sport and Health Club in McLean, Virginia, six miles from Washington. Regency closed one of its many indoor tennis courts to make room for real tennis. The unique feature of the new court is an 18-foot high main wall made of plate glass, which gives spectators an unrivalled view of play. The court quickly became known as Prince's, a wordplay that simultaneously honored Fred Prince for his unstinting support and the now defunct series of English clubs that first carried the name. Austin Snelgrove, an assistant at Canford, was hired as Prince's first professional. Photo by Judy Karpinski Prince's began with a modest membership of 15, but it quickly began living up to its charter. New players were recruited (by its second season, it had 50 members), the club hosted the National "C" and "D" Championships, students from St. Albans and Potomac schools played regularly on weekday afternoons, and a solid core of women players took up the game. Parent-child doubles became a particularly enjoyable part of the Prince's schedule. Lord Percival Cup - 2000 L to R: Andy Kinzler, Scott Farnesi, Ken Karpinski, Melissa Grassi, Temple Grassi In February 1999, the club hosted the first Ambassadors' Cup with three of the world's top ten professional in the field of eight. The quality of play was superb, and seeing 100 M.P.H. forces through the glass main wall was a thrill for novices and experienced players alike. In the final, Mike Gooding of England defeated Mark Divine of Aiken. The first annual Club Dinner on May 22, 1999 was an emotional affair because it was, in part, a goodbye party for Austin Snelgrove, who had decided to return to England after nearly two years as Prince's pro. In appreciation of Austin's contributions as teacher, Haven Pell announced that the most improved player of the year would henceforth receive the Snelgrove Award. The first recipient was Fred Prince. The club found a worthy successor to Snelgrove in Tim Johnson, the lawn tennis coach at St. Alban's. Johnson played his first court tennis at Prince's, lowered his handicap to the teens in a matter of months, and generated great enthusiasm for the game among students at his old school. In pursuing its mission to develop the talents of women and junior players, Prince's scored some notable successes. Ken Karpinski won the 1999 Hickey Cup held at the Prince's Court. Simmy Pell, an experience lawn tennis player but new to real tennis, was runner-up in the 2000 Anne Boleyn handicap at Greentree. The biggest mark was made by Bradley Allen, who at 15 won the British 16-and-Under Championship - an amazing accomplishment for an American, especially one who had taken up the game less than a year before his first tournament in Britain. Cherry Blossom Doubles Championships "A" Division" L to R: Scott Farnesi, Kris Motz, John Motz, Ray Farnesi Bradley also won Prince's first club championship. In the semi-finals, he defeated none other than Haven Pell. Haven counted it as vindication for the endless hours he spent working to bring Prince's off the drawing board. "Had I known at the outset how hard it would be, I might never have started," he said. "But I never would have seen the look of pride in the eyes of my father when he first saw the court. He was 86, in failing health, and had only seven months to live. I also wouldn't have had the privilege of losing to a 15-year-old who has the potential to become one of America's greatest players." For a free 30 day membership and a free lesson please call our club head professional, Ivan Ronaldson at 703-556-8801. ========================================================= For a free 30 day membership and a free lesson please call our club head professional, Ivan Ronaldson at 703-556-8801. Prince's Court The International Tennis Club Of Washington 1800 Old Meadow Road, McLean, Virginia 22102 703-556-8801 - email us