21 Fascinating Vintage Photos of Beautiful Women Posing With Tennis Rackets

Tennis fashion has evolved since women first started competing in the games in 1884: Gone are the tea-time-appropriate ankle-skimming skirts, long-sleeve blouses, and wide-brimmed sun hats, replaced by butt-skimming custom tennis skirts, bathing-suit-like tops, and sleek visors that optimize a player’s game and keep her looking photo-ready.

To get in the tennis spirit, take a look back at some vintage shots of ladies looking a bit more demure with their tennis rackets, from Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win Wimbledon, to actress Joan Crawford, who surely never broke a sweat on a tennis court.

Woodrow Wilson's Daughter Jessie, Circa 1910s. Photo: Corbis.

Joan Marsh, 1930s. Photo: John Springer Collection/Corbis.

1940. Photo: American Stock/Classic Stock/Corbis

Joan Frey, 1925. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

1934. Photo: Classic Stock/Corbis.

Ruth Roland, 1930. Photo: John Springer Collection/Corbis.

Circa 1940s. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

Circa 1900. Photo: DaZo Vintage Stock Photos/Corbis.

Eileen Percy, circa 1920. Photo: John Springer Collection/Corbis.

1955. Photo: Classic Stock/Corbis.

Circa 1940s. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

1952. Photo: Classic Stock/Corbis.

Helen Wills, 1925. Photo: Underwood & Uderwood/Corbis.

Joan Crawford, 1928. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

Nancy Chaffee Kiner. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

1939. Photo: Classic Stock/Corbis.

Helen Wills Moody, 1954. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

Ginger Rogers, 1940. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

Katharine Hepburn, 1940. Photo: Bettmann/Corbis.

1938. Photo: Conde Nast Archive/Corbis.

1938. Photo: Classic Stock/Corbis.