1915 National Tennis Championship 

This poster promotes the 1915 National Tennis Championship in Hilversum, Netherlands, from Bridgeman Images. According to Mimi Matthews, lawn tennis became increasingly popular among women in Victorian England, who played at garden parties and tennis clubs. By the 1880s, women began competing at Wimbledon, though they were often urged to avoid overt athleticism or competitiveness, and instead, "simply hit the ball to their opponent" (Matthews). Clothing choices also reinforced societal expectations, with women expected to wear layers such as long dresses, corsets, petticoats, and bustles. This poster reflects these conventions through its imagery. The depiction also suggests that men are wearing long shirts and pants, which raises the question of whether these were simply the athletic garments of the era or if they were intentionally designed to uphold the restrictive roles, especially for women, of the time.