Claim: Tennis was a term used to refer to real tennis in the 19th century.
Evidence: During most of the 19th century , in fact , the term `` tennis '' referred to real tennis , not lawn tennis : for example , in Disraeli 's novel Sybil -LRB- 1845 -RRB- , Lord Eugene De Vere announces that he will `` go down to Hampton Court and play tennis.