On the 1st of October in 1893, a fascinated crowd convened at Turku’s newly established sports park, then known as Samppalinna Field. Designed to cater to the popular sports of the era, the field was inaugurated with a series of organized competitions overseen by the Åbo Idrottsvänner/ The Turku sports friends association. The event featured bicycle races interwoven with Finland’s premier tennis tournament. Amidst the continuous rainfall, each spectator clutched an entry ticket, prepared for any potential inspectors. Despite the inclement weather, the event proceeded without hindrance.

Cycling and tennis were indisputably fashionable sports during the 1890s, captivating the attention of spectators. Tennis, which emerged in the 1870s, had already reached Finland by the subsequent decade, where it was referred to as lawn tennis. Rapidly gaining popularity, the sport transcended its recreational nature, as detailed in David Berry’s Tennis – A Radical History (Vastapaino 2021), and became a catalyst for social transformation. Tennis courts witnessed women’s participation on par with men, particularly on mixed doubles where both genders shared the court simultaneously.

Although tennis possessed an elitist reputation, it provided the bourgeoisie with a unique opportunity to engage with nobility and royalty on an equal footing. The sport fostered an environment in which players were assessed based on their skills rather than their social standing, provided they belonged to the upper middle class or higher. By the mid-20th century, even the working class began to embrace tennis.

Modern tennis originated in the 1870s, and in no time, the sport proliferated across the globe, played on impeccably manicured grass courts. In Turku during early October 1893, the courts were undoubtedly waterlogged, but this hardly deterred the players. Despite the challenging conditions, Deputy Judge Rosenlew emerged victorious in the men’s series, while H. Stahl claimed victory in the women’s.

The Rosenlew family, known for their passion for tennis, had been playing the sport since the late 19th century. One of the sons, (Fredrik) Walter, had earned a law degree in 1892. Although he had not yet acquired the title of deputy barrister, the news foreshadowed a promising development in his career. His younger brother, Conrad, was also an avid tennis enthusiast, though he was only 18 at the time of the tournament. The Rosenlews’ strong connections to England through the sawmill industry and other entrepreneurial ventures likely kindled their love for tennis.

Unfortunately, historical records on women’s sporting activities are scarce. The identity of H. Stahl and the other participants in the women’s series remain uncertain. Nevertheless, as emphasized by David Berry, tennis courts served as avenues for emancipation, often representing the first public spaces where women could assume roles beyond being mere spouses. This phenomenon warrants further investigation within the context of Finnish history.

As the name suggests, the initial fields in the Sports Park were grass courts, although, given the October rains of 1893, the actual condition of these surfaces remains speculative. English tennis, at its inception, was played on grass courts. However, by the late 19th century, court construction in the south of France began to incorporate a blend of bricks, ceramics, and stones, resulting in a surface known as ”mass court.” This new surface proved more resilient to the intense heat of the Riviera. Consequently, the grass courts at Turku Sports Park were soon supplanted by the red-hued mass courts.

This summer, before any renovations take place, enthusiasts will have the opportunity to experience playing on these historic mass courts and appreciate the maintenance efforts required to keep them in optimal condition.