BERLIN TENNIS GALLERY
Berlin Tennis Gallery presents a curated chronological journey through one thousand years of tennis, marking a new era in the presentation of sports history
Berlin Tennis Gallery at a Glance
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Most complete display of 1,000 years of tennis history
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Seamless documentation of racquet and ball evolution across the centuries
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2,800+ racquets from 1500 to today on display, including squash & badminton
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274 one-of-a-kind objects in the online gallery, with over 2,000 high-resolution 3D renderings and a dedicated clip for each item
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Each piece enriched with historical context, detailed visuals, and dynamic storytelling
A Journey Across Tennis History
Chapter I
From Hand to Racquet
1000 AD - 1500
Explore the early evolution of the tennis ball, beginning around 1000 AD, and the introduction of the racquet at the end of the Middle Ages. This chapter also covers the transition to white balls and the eventual adoption of the common yellow ball we know today.
Chapter IV
From Wood to Composite
1930 - 1982
Discover the iconic laminated wooden frames used by legends like Rod Laver, Chris Evert-Lloyd, and Bjorn Borg. This chapter focuses on the peak of the wooden racquet era before the introduction of composite materials.
Release Date
12 May 2026
Chapter V
The Revolution -
Injection Molding 1982
Learn about the shift in racquet production when Dunlop introduced injection moulding in 1982. The Max 200G, one of the first racquets made with this process, gained fame through the successes of Steffi Graf and John McEnroe.
Release Date
16 Sep 2026
Chapter VI
Iconic Inventions of the
20s century
Chapter VI covers the key innovations of the 20th century that transformed constructions, from oversized frames to unique string patterns. These inventions pushed the boundaries of the sport and reshaped how the game was played.
Release Date
2 Nov 2026
Chapter VII
Gear from the Greats
1982 - Today
Take a closer look at the tools used by tennis legends such as Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf. This chapter explores how the tool has evolved to meet the demands of the sport’s greatest players.
Release Date
3 Apr 2027
The BTG History Channel
Jimmy Connors History of Wilson T2000 and Lacoste Tennis Racket & Outtakes | Berlin Tennis Gallery
Impressions from the Gallery
List of Items – Instant Access
No 1/274 History Tennis Ball from 1000 AD
No 2/274 The Scanno Racquet 1555
No 3/274 The Racquet of the Majesty 1583
No 4/274 The Antique Battledore 1648
No 5/274 Garsault Demi-Paume Racquet 1767
No 7/274 The Antique Real Tennis Racquet 1789
No 8/274 Racquet of the Game of Rackets 1803
No 9/274 The Strung Battledores 1849
No 10/274 The Vellum-covered Battledore 1861
No 11/274 Parlour Tennis Bats 1875 - Origins of Table Tennis 1875
No 12/274 The Racquet of Tennis Founder W.C. Wingfield 1876
No 13/274 The Last Witness 1878
No 14/274 Crafted by the Best - Jefferies London 1884
No 16/274 A Perfect Past - The 80s Enigma 1882
No 17/274 The American Touch - Horsman Maker 1884
No 18/274 Wright & Ditson's Stunning Twist - The Surprise 1889
No 19/274 A Gentleman’s Choice - Ayres Handicap 1885
No 20/274 Slazenger Renshaw 1885 - First Signature Racquet 1886
No 21/274 Slazenger Renshaw 1886 - From Square to Round 1889
No 22/274 Slazenger Renshaw 1889 - From Round to Flat 1889
No 23/274 The Fish-Tail Innovation - Slazenger Demon 1888
No 24/274 A Woven Memory - Ayres F H Ltd. 1884
No 25/274 A Wooden Giant - Wright & Ditson Longwood 1895
No 25A/274 The Virgin Queen - Steidel’s Memorial 1901
No 26/274 Brit Precision, German Exclusivity - Ormond Club 1896
No 27/274 The Wooden Ghost- Ashes of a Childhood Racquet 1896
No 28/274 Slazenger Renshaw - From Flat to Oval 1899
No 29/274 A Brand Without Borders - Ormond Challenge 1898
No 30/274 Built for Durability - Bussey Champion 1898
No 31/274 The Salisbury/South Wiltshire Sports Club Racquet 1895
Coming up:
No 32/274 A Revolution in Grip Design - Jefferies Fantail 1893
No 33/274 History Etched in Patina London Match 1895
No 34/274 Redefining the Grip - Gradidge of Woolwich 1895
No 35/274 Slazenger Demon - Innovation with a Tail 1893
No 36/274 Slazenger Special Demon - A Touch of Extra 1895
No 37/274 Slazenger Special Demon - Elegance & Accuracy 1898
No 38/274 Slazenger Demon - The Ultimate Refinement 1899
No 39/274 Ekert Club - The Mermaid Brand 1895
No 40/274 Victor Comet No. 354 - Checkered Craftsmanship 1902
No 41/274 Bussey Special Champion - Time-tested 1902
No 42/274 Williams Paris - Inspired by the Iron Lady 1909
No 43/274 Steidel Practice 1900
No 44/274 Slazenger Pastime - A Pastime that lasted 1905
No 45/274 Williams Favourite - Red-Tipped Treble Beauty 1908
No 46/274 The Ghost in the Strings - Ormond Favorite 1904 1904
No 47/274 Slazenger Renshaw - From Oval to Elongated 1907
No 48/274 Slazenger Doherty - Legendary hands & grip. 1900
No 49/274 Slazenger Doherty - Decade of Tennis Dominance 1899
No 50/274 Slazenger Ubique - Unique by design. 1906
No 51/274 From Small Hands to Big Courts 1900
No 52/274 Ortrud - A Symbol of Women’s Tennis Heritage 1901
No 53/274 Slazenger EGM Special - A Tribute to E.G. Meers 1900
No 54/274 Slazenger Demon - Shaped and Strung to Challenge 1905
No 55/274 Bryn Mawr - Ahead of Its Time, Layer by Layer 1905
No 56/274 Ormond Harlington - Crowned in Gold. 1906
No 57/274 Slazenger Carlton - Grace under Pressure 1913
No 58/274 Slazenger Lambert Chambers - A Chams Tribute 1913
No 59/274 Slazenger Eclipse - Power in the Shadow 1913
No 60/274 Slazenger Special Score - Made to settle the Score 1914
No 61/274 Mikado II - Quiet elegance with an imperial echo 1911
No 62/274 Bancroft The Bancroft - A name that stood for itself 1913
No 63/274 Club – Strength in Solid Wood 1918
No 64/274 Hammer Special - First Chapter of a German Icon 1914
No 65/274 A.R. Dawson Champion - Precision in Every Curve 1912
No 66/274 Ashland Favorite - A Favorite Before Fame 1917
No 67/274 Halley Opresto - Red, Green, and Timeless 1922
No 68/274 Hammer Meteor 1920 - Velocity turned visible 1920
No 69/274 Bancroft Premier - First in Name. First in Class. 1923
No 70/274 Wright & Ditson The Park - Beauty in Blue 1928
No 71/274 Steidel Club - Berlin’s Own Favourite 1923
No 72/274 Hammer Meteor 1926 - A Strike from the Orbit 1926
No 73/274 Wilson Popular - The Beginner’s Choice 1927
No 74/274 King - Pakistan’s Tribute to George V 1928
No 75/274 Dayton Steel - The Revolution in Metal 1922
No 76/274 Wright &Ditson X-Pert - Heart of a Gamechanger 1928
No 77/274 S.B. Special Strung - Innovation in Every String 1924
No 78/274 Darsonval No. 9 - Stretched over the Limit 1928
No 79/274 Dunlop Maxply - The Legend’s First Edition 1932
No 80/274 Dunlop Maxply - The 50th Anniversary Racquet 1972
No 81/274 Hoppe Dresden - German Precision 1935
No 82/274 Dunlop Corinthian - The Laminated Blueprint 1932
No 83/274 Slazenger Perry & Maskell - 30s Prime Coaches 1937
No 84/274 Wilson Don Budge - A Champ`s Racquet 1939
No 85/274 Hammer T-perle - Relic of Hitler’s Olympic Illusion 1936
No 86/274 Hazells foundational piece 1934
No 87/274 Hazell’s Streamline Blue Star Release I 1935
No 88/274 Hazell’s Streamline Red Star 1935
No 89/274 Hazell’s Streamline Green Star 1936
No 90/274 Hazell’s Streamline White Star 1937
No 91/274 Hazell’s Streamline Badminton Blue Star Mark I 1935
No 92/274 Hazell’s Streamline Badminton Red Star Mark I 1935
No 93/274 Hazell’s Streamline Badminton Blue Star Mark II 1936
No 94/274 Hazell’s Streamline Squash Red Star 1936
No 95/274 Hazell’s Streamline Blue Star Release II 1938
No 96/274 Hazell’s Streamline Junior Blue Star Star 1939
No 97/274 Hazell’s Streamline Lady Blue Star Star 1939
No 98/274 Hazell’s Streamline All White Star 1938
No 99/274 Hazells Light Blue Tennis Ball 1938
No 100/274 Hazell’s Streamline Agua Blue Star 1941
No 101/274 Hammer Start 1948
No 102/274 Heinrich Hammer Spezialmodell Hans Nuesslein 1949
No 103/274 Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph 1947