THE ROMANOV FAMILY AND TENNIS

Tennis anyone?

The Romanov family loved to play tennis. They mention it throughout their letters and diaries constantly. In Grand Duchess Olga’s 1913 diary alone, she mentions “tennis” a whopping 100 times!

From Grand Duchess Olga’s diary entries during the month of June, 1913:

“..In the afternoon [we] rode in motors to play tennis. I played 4 sets with Zelenetzky against Anya and Kira N. , also played one set with him against Kira and Arseniev, [we] won all 5 sets…”

“… In the afternoon [we] went to play tennis. I played 2 sets with Aunt Olga against A and Baron [von] Noalde and lost miserably. Very warm. [We] baked in the sun. Baron N. was teaching me to walk on stilts. After that I did the giant steps with him. Papa played with Anya, Khvoshinsky, and Rodionov…”

“…Played tennis with Papa against Pavl. Al. and Poups (Pototsky). We won 1 set, they won 2. Everyone went swimming, but we returned [to the yacht].”

From the book “Journal of a Russian Grand Duchess: Complete Annotated 1913 Diary of Olga Romanov, Eldest Daughter of the Last Tsar” by Helen Azar

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