Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club

What a fantastic way to round off your time at Newcastle University.

Over the last three years, you've discovered Real Tennis and become part of a game that stretches far beyond Newcastle. The recent trip to Bordeaux was a perfect example of that. Not only did the students get the chance to play on one of the newest Real Tennis courts in the world, but it was also lovely to see some of Mark's old friends from his days competing in Bordeaux, including the ever-welcoming Tyler and Paul Van Der Linden , helping to show the students around one of Bordeaux's impressive châteaux.

It's moments like these that remind us what makes Real Tennis so special. The game connects people across generations, countries and clubs, and it's wonderful to see the wider Real Tennis family coming together to give the students such a memorable experience.

While we know students eventually move on, what we always hope at Jesmond is that the game stays with them. Whether life takes them to London, New York, Melbourne or anywhere else in the world, there's a Real Tennis club and community waiting to welcome them.

A huge thank you to all our students this year. You've been a brilliant group, and we're proud to have been part of your journey. Good luck with whatever comes next — and most importantly, keep playing and enjoying the game wherever life takes you.

Club treasurer's given me permission to go to £350 if it gets the deal done!!

Congratulations to Chris Marks on becoming Scottish National Champion 2026. 🏆🏴
This is a fantastic achievement and one that is thoroughly deserved. Chris shows an incredible level of commitment to his game, regularly travelling down from Edinburgh to Jesmond and putting in three-hour training sessions every few weeks in his pursuit of improvement.
Hard work, dedication and determination have paid off, and everyone at Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club is delighted to see Chris crowned Scottish Champion.
A huge congratulations from all of us at Jesmond. This title is very well deserved, and we couldn't be more pleased for you.

The classic white T

Something a little different for the summer...
A range of high-quality T-shirts and hoodies branded with the Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club design.
Everything is made to order with a quick turnaround, and the beauty of it is you can more or less pick your own colours — making it a little different and unique to you.
Samples are available at the club. Message for details.

Next in the Real Tennis IQ series

what shoe?

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Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club

What a final. What a fantastic way to bring the week of the Jesmond Dene Cup to a close.
The final between Vaughan Hamilton and Robert Shenkman absolutely went to the wire, with Vaughan eventually taking the spoils 6–4 in the third after a thrilling battle. The members who turned out to watch were completely enthralled from start to finish as two players produced a final of the very highest quality.
After the explosive power and big hitting of Saturday night’s doubles, this final was a fascinating contrast — a tactical, thoughtful contest full of momentum swings, touch, variation, and nerve. The standard of tennis throughout was outstanding.
Vaughan has now had some huge results on the Jesmond court over the last few years, and it clearly suits his game. This feels like a very important victory in his progression within real tennis. Every player needs that one big win to take them to the next level, and this could well prove to be a massive moment for Vaughan in terms of confidence and belief moving forward.
A huge thank you must also go to Paul Averley for his incredible support of the Jesmond Dene Cup. Events like this simply do not happen without people like Paul. Not only has he helped make the whole tournament possible, but we genuinely think Paul may have watched every single ball of the competition — from the opening round last Sunday right through to the final today! His enthusiasm, support, and commitment to the event have been absolutely amazing, and everyone at the club is incredibly grateful.
Finally, a huge well done to all of the players throughout the week. The professionals and leading amateurs have done themselves proud. Not only with the quality of tennis on court, but with the way they engaged with members around the club — talking to people, answering questions, encouraging players, and helping create such a welcoming atmosphere all week long.
Overall, it has been a brilliant week for the club, a brilliant week for real tennis, and a wonderful showcase for the game.
Thank you to everyone who came along and supported throughout the week.

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Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club