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The history of Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange is nearly as old as
the game of tennis itself. Founded in 1880, seven years after the first game
in the U.S. was played on Staten Island, it hosted The Eastern Grass Court
Championships in 1946, launching a golden era when Althea Gibson, Rod
Laver, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, John McEnroe and other greats drew
standing room crowds of up to 4,000 spectators. Grass courts fell out of
favor and interest in the club waned in the mid-’80s, but in 2018, OLTC is
enjoying a reboot. It was recently purchased and renovated by new owners,
who have installed 10 grass courts and as many Har-Tru courts, and renovated
the clubhouse and heated pool; the club also offers dining in the clubhouse,
and has a new grand ball room. Here, Bobby Riggs leaps over the net, years
before conceding to Billie Jean King in the game that would be the basis for
the film Battle of the Sexes.
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