NAHANT — Nahant Tennis Inc. is inviting residents to the courts of the Country Club Estate this summer to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first tennis match in the United States — which was played in Nahant.
In 1874, Dr. James Dwight and Richard Dudley Sears played the first lawn-tennis match in American history, squaring off with wooden rackets on the lawn of the Appleton estate on Swallows Cave Road. One year later, the Nahant Invitational began its two-decade tenure, in which six players competed in a tournament at the Nahant Club.
The upcoming celebration on July 13 will harken back to the 19th-century origins of the sport, featuring equipment and attire in the style of the time period. According to Nahant Tennis Club President Andrea Gogolos, Olympic silver medalist Tim Mayotte will be attending as the guest of honor.
“Tim is a big fan of Nahant and the history of tennis,” Gogolos said.
Mayotte, who is from Springfield, is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist and won more than 100 titles on the ATP Tour.
For more details and to register for the event, visit nahanttennis.org
