Why was Dansk Tennis Club established? In 1919, Leif Rovsing established it after being excluded from Copenhagen tennis clubs. The Dansk Boldspil-Union banned him from tournaments due to presumed homosexuality.
To continue playing tennis, Rovsing created Dansk Tennis Club. He started his own tournament in 1919. In 1921, he funded and built a tennishal on Rygaards Allé in Hellerup. Henry Madsen was the hall’s architect.
Dansk Tennis Club never joined DBU or Dansk Lawn-Tennis Forbund. This new club allowed Rovsing to play despite discrimination. The club became a symbol of resilience. It stood for inclusivity in Danish tennis.
The Danish Seniors National Championships started in 1889. Kjørbenhavns Boldklub, a multi-sports club in Copenhagen, was founded in 1876. Tennis has been played there since 1883. The club held unofficial Danish National Closed Championships annually from 1889 to 1902.
In 1904, the Danish Sport Federation took over organizing the national championships. By 1920, the Danish Tennis Association assumed responsibility for the event. From 1921 to 1968, the tournament was part of the ILTF Circuit. In 1969, it joined the ILTF Independent Tour until 1982. Today, it is an ITF Seniors G3 tournament.
Dansk Tennis Forbund was founded in 1920. By 1930, it had over 10,000 active members. After 1945, membership grew to about 20,000. It remained stable until the late 1960s. In the 1970s, membership exploded due to changing leisure habits and better sports facilities.
Membership peaked in 1990 with over 118,000 members. It declined through the 1990s. However, DTF has seen a strong increase in membership again in the last five years.
DTF holds national championships for seniors indoors and outdoors each year. Indoor championships are in March. Outdoor championships are usually in August.
Dansk Tennis Forbund also organizes national youth championships. Indoor youth championships are typically during Easter. Outdoor youth championships usually take place in July.
The Mogens Pagh-Pokalen is awarded annually. It goes to the club with the best results at DTF’s youth championships. It considers both indoor and outdoor performance. It also recognizes junior players who excel in international tournaments.
Dansk Tennis Club has a unique history. It was founded on principles of inclusion. It overcame discrimination. Today, it remains a vital part of Danish tennis.