2026 SPECIAL SESSION I
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2107
Celebrating the life of Ivan Ronaldson.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, June 22, 2026
WHEREAS, Ivan Ronaldson, a respected leader in the sport of real tennis who had earned several junior titles and coached players of all ages and skill levels in Northern Virginia, died on August 17, 2025; and
WHEREAS, born in Australia to British expatriates Lesley and Chris Ronaldson, Ivan Ronaldson grew up in London, England, after his parents accepted a position as real tennis professionals at the Royal Tennis Court in Hampton Court Palace; and
WHEREAS, Ivan Ronaldson attended Papplewick School and Canford School, where he studied real tennis, also known as royal tennis or court tennis, under the tutelage of his uncle, who was the school's real tennis professional at the time; and
WHEREAS, from a young age, Ivan Ronaldson began to develop the powerful, strategic game that became his hallmark; he won three under-12 titles, two under-14 titles, and two under-16 titles over the course of his playing career; and
WHEREAS, as a teenager, Ivan Ronaldson helped his parents manage the tennis club at Hampton Court Palace, sweeping the court, booking lessons and social games, and learning to engage with people from a wide range of backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, Ivan Ronaldson studied at Reading University before pursuing a career in real tennis; he was a trainee professional player at Holyport Tennis Club from 1993 to 1995, then became a teaching pro at the Palace of Fontainebleau in Paris, France, from 1995 to 1998, Hampton Court Palace from 1998 to 2002, and Prested Hall in Essex, England, from 2002 to 2005; and