2019 – 4th Tennis Season?
The Veterans, this is how older players were described in our sport, usually faded leaving a rich legacy. It is not happening anymore. There is no such thing as retirement. The veterans instead of leaving in good grace with fame are axing private road for their survival and benefits.
It has made the Tennis Road-Map somewhat confusing, to travel on. It is a serious issue, 2019 for Tennis could prove to be the ‘Make or Break’ year. Globally this may even place the contribution and the legacy of the 3rd season that is immediate past and present good players, questionable.
1st season
The road started with social gentry indulging in peaceful and non-profit making ‘sporting’ activity in the 1850’s. With Royal patronage in England, the game found a permanent place in the social circles of Europe.
Tennis after about 75 years in existence in 1915 a single body came to being to promote and control. It is the ITF [International Tennis Federation]. From the fifties this non-profit oriented volunteer body became very slowly into a professional profit-making outfit. That I believe was the end of the first season in Tennis.
2nd the Gold Rush
From the 1950’s the ‘sporting’ aspect has been waning and ‘economic’ aspect has been growing in Tennis. It is not only among the players but the entire support, administrative and management system. There are many who see this as a parasite that is growing on a beautiful tree. There was no way to stop this. The world was marching that way.
Money was made through Tennis by the event organisers. It was big money and none of it reached the players. The professional players’ revolution and the subsequent formation of ATP and WTA could be considered the consolidation of the second season in Tennis. It strengthened itself when Wimbledon permitted professionals to play. It facilitated Rod Laver winning his second Grand Slam, his first and the only as a professional in 1969. Since then no man has achieved this feat. Fifty years have lapsed.
What is an event without players? Players realised that they hold the ‘trump’ card. Formed a body of professionals and this was the first ‘schism’ of Tennis. Appearance of ATP and WTA has made administration and players into two very strong entities.
3rd season – player integrity
Over the years and noticeably in the new millennium life span of good players extended great deal longer that in the previous one hundred years. Some of the spurts of performance created suspicion. These were probed.
The belief Tennis was not subjected to doping got shattered. Players appeared to recover miraculously after a 30 shot rally in the fifth set, in the fourth hour on the court well within ten seconds. Great Briton’s Andy Murray was the first man to state this suspicion publicly. Roger Federer confessed that he was tested only once in ten years. From the known records, Federer was always clean.
Too many professionals did not keep to the unwritten ‘honesty’ code. So it was written. After good many years, many believe WADA; the anti-doping body is getting onto the top of the ‘problem’. It is a problem still. Their work also revealed to what extent doping has been conducted in the past without being detected. It has marred the images of good players of that time very badly. WADA is very powerful. It has the right to appear on the front door of any player and ask for blood samples. Some have absconded. WADA covers all sports.
Who is the greatest?
Unfortunate the Tennis players in the ‘doping era’ are not going to be respected even if they were proven clean. This is not fair, but public opinion will be the dominating factor than published record. In recent times good players are rationing their appearance to play safe against physical injuries. Why did they play nonstop some years back? This question cannot be answered without creating suspicion. It’s a pity for the sake of raking in every dollar they traded their reputation which could have paid their retirement bills. In this regard only WADA can point a finger at any player now. According to WADA sports doping has been conducted by sovereign nations. Media carried enough of it in the last three years.
2019 – 4th season of Tennis
Seen from many angles, 2019 will see the beginning of the fourth season. Reason for cheating came from various factors. One was ‘excesses in challenge’. Week after week events and ten months of non-stop go, go, go.
The two professional bodies have eased the requirement for ranking to be humane. Australian Open 2019, a Grand-Slam event will be played with tie break in the fifth set, as opposed to regular two game difference. It might lead to all events following suit. Some measures will follow but WADA has promised to be on top of cheating issue. Awaiting something new creates interest and that is what Tennis need now. Many New-Gen players have appeared and have not got established in both genders. Surviving long time is another is strait not many have. 4th season will have to bring out some good appealing players into the arena. —- Season’s Greetings to all
George Paldano, Former int. player; Accredited Coach of German Federation; National coach Sri Lanka & Brunei, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup captain/coach– contact 94 77 544 8880 geodano2015@gmail.com –