Below is an instruction that describes a task. Write a response that appropriately completes the request.

### Instruction:
What was the surface played on for the match than began before 1897?

### Inputs:
table_name: table, columns: ['Tournament', 'Country', 'Location', 'Current Venue', 'Began', 'Court surface']

### Response:
SELECT Court surface FROM table WHERE Began < 1897