VICTORIAN TENNIS RULE BOOK REVEALS GAME PLAYED BY THREE

TENNIS was a game made for three according to the first Victorian rule book. Our ancestors started playing the game outdoors for the first time thanks to a Birmingham lawyer who experimented with the sport. Instead of the Wimbledon as we know it with strict singles and doubles teams with no mixing of the sexes the early Victorians were MORE liberal. In a version called the Unicorn one player could play against two opponents. And while ladies were discouraged from playing - they were permitted to battle against the men. This means if Wimbledon was played the Victorian way we could be looking at a big female name like Serena Williams playing the likes of Murray AND Djokovic. History buffs of the sport insist the 1874 'Lawn tennis or Pelota rules of the game' by Thomas Henry Gem was the first of its kind. Former PE teachers Sue Elks, 69, and Christopher Elks, 68, from Wythall in the West Midlands explained the difference the modern game has with the tennis of yesteryear.

Other great stories
THE FIRST LADY OF FASHION APP

She was recently named Best Dressed Woman in a new list and is regarded as one of the most stylish women in the world .

WOMAN SPENDS £10K TRANSFORMING INTO DISNEY PRINCESSES

Meet the real life princess who has spent £10k transforming herself into nine Disney beauties .

STUNNING ALICE IN WONDERLAND WEDDING RECEPTION

A couple celebrated tying the knot with a spectacular Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding reception .

SLEEPING IN THE WILDERNESS

SLEEPING within touching distance of wild African animals might not be everyone's idea of a relaxing break .

CREATE A RHAPSODY ON BOHEMIAN'S NEW SLICK OIL CAN GUITAR

GUITARISTS that want to lay down some slick licks will soon be able to get their hands on a brand new guitar - made from oil cans .

PHILEAS FROG: KERMIT'S WORLD TRAVELS CONTINUE PREV

A Kermit the Frog toy made famous by travelling the world is still globehopping, having racked up an incredible 420,000 kilometres to some of the world's furthest flung places .

INTIMATE PORTRAITS OF AFRICAN TRIBES

A German photographer travelled around Africa where he met and photographed members of tribes in a series of intimate portraits .

DOG CAN FINALLY SEE OWNER AGAIN THANKS TO £1K FACELIFT

A dog whose forehead skin was so heavy that he was going blind has finally seen his owner again after undergoing a £1K FACELIFT .

AN ABANDONED HOUSE IN THE WOODS

INTIMATELY showcasing personal artefacts from a family's life, this abandoned bungalow has been left to rot for almost a decade .

HILARIOUS PRANK ON URBAN EXPLORERS

A terrifying prankster has given unsuspecting urban explorers the fright of their lives .

ARTIST NAILS IT- BEAUTIFUL PORTRAITS CREATED FROM NAILS

An artist has NAILED IT by creating beautiful and perfectly precise artwork using a hammer and 30,000 nails .