Bordighera is a cute town on the Italian Riviera, after Ventimiglia, and on the way to San Remo. It is a delightful place, quite (relatively) subdued and relaxing even during the summer months.
As with the French Riviera, the history of Bordighera and its growth began in the late 1800s with the arrival of Northern Europeans, especially the British, wishing to enjoy the warmer climes of the Riviera.
Tennis began in Bordighera with a club being established second only to Wimbledon. The same club is still in operation today. The origins of the club were to pursue international competitions, which they did, and also provide a very social aspect to allow people to mix and mingle for pleasure and business purposes.
Bordighera Lawn Tennis Club, 1904
The Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was a significant figure in the development of the tennis club at Bordighera. Notably, he is the great-grandfather of King Charles III of Great Britain. His brother was a tennis player who won the 1887 Wimbledon doubles. Tennis was definitely a family thing.
Then there is the true story of a young French tennis player who astounded club members at winning against more mature players as she couldn’t speak English. There are many more fascinating historical in and around the club.
Presidents of Bordighera Lawn Tennis Club
My source is Gisella Merello. Gisella is not British; she is delightfully Italian, born in Bordighera, to where she returned after her studies in Milan. Her fascination with the tennis club stemmed from being given two old ledgers that recorded the club’s history. After delving into the history of the club, Gisella’s curiosity was sparked; she continued to research it, as she does now. This is accompanied by her interest in the history of Bordighera as a whole, with its wealth of connections, including the Museo Bicknell, a legacy of Bordighera’s British past.
Here are some links to Bordighera and sites relating to this lovely Riviera town –
https://www.visitbordighera.it/en
https://www.piattitenniscenter.it/it
https://www.tennisbordighera.it
Gisella’s book about tennis in Bordighera can be found on Amazon – English version | Italian version
All images courtesy Gisella Merello & Bordighera Lawn Tennis Club
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