TENNIS star Tim Henman has partnered Oxford University’s Bodleian Library in a new book revealing the original rules of the game.

The Original Rules of Tennis, which is being published in time for Wimbledon, re-prints the first two rules of the game from 1874 and 1878, as well as detailing the many alterations since then.

These include lowering the net height three times, introducing advantage sets in 1884, and banning the technique of double stringing in 1978.

In his foreword to the book, Mr Henman, who grew up in Weston-on-the-Green, near Bicester, and now lives in Aston Tirrold, near Didcot, said: “From the start, tennis has been in my blood.

“It is part of our family history that my great-grandmother was the first woman to serve over-arm at Wimbledon and her daughter, my grandmother, was the last to serve under-arm there.

“When I was growing up at home in Oxfordshire, learning the game from my parents, my two brothers, and my two uncles, all of whom were decent players, I quickly discovered that you had to spend many hours practising all aspects of the game if you wanted to win; and I did.

“Then, when I started to play matches in junior tournaments without umpires, I realised that you also had to know the rules backwards.

“It was all a steep learning curve.”

Dr Samuel Fanous, head of publishing at the Bodleian Library, said he was delighted Mr Henman had written the foreword.

The Original Rules of Tennis follows similar publications by the Bodleian including The Original Rules of Golf, The Original Rules of Cricket, The Rules of Association Football 1863 and The Original Rules of Rugby.

Dr Fanous said: “Those books sold very well and we expect this one to do the same. The Original Rules of Tennis tells the story of the development of tennis, from a pastime that was played in the country houses of the 19th century, to an international sport played around the world.”

Mr Henman added that it was appropriate that the Bodliean Library had the support of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, where he enjoyed some of his happiest tennis moments, “as well as a few painful ones”.

The book is introduced by John Barrett, who played in 21 consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1950 and 1970. As a BBC commentator since 1971, he was known to millions as the voice of tennis until his retirement in 2006.

The book is illustrated with images from the 17th to the mid-20th century.

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk l The Original Rules of Tennis is published on June 7 in assocation with the All England Lawn Tennis Club