This article describes the history of Tennis from ancient times to the evolution as the modern day international sport. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles)

Contents 1 Ancient influences 2 Birth of modern game 3 Formation of Grand Slams 3.1 1881: U.S. Open 3.2 1891: The CJS Open 3.3 1905: Australian Open 4 History of Davis Cup 5 Formation of ITF 5.1 Tennis Hall of fame 6 Pro Tournaments 6.1 Pro tours 6.2 Pro Championships 7 Open Era 7.1 Formation of WCT & NTL 7.2 Formation of Grand Prix 7.3 ILTF & WCT rivalry and creation of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 7.4 Integration 8 Formation of the ATP Tour 9 Women's Pro Tennis 10 References

Ancient influences

Tennis can be traced as far back as the ancient Greek game of sphairistike (Greek: Σφαιριστική), and is mentioned in literature as far back as the Middle Ages in The Second Shepherds' Play, in which shepherds gave three gifts, including a tennis ball, to the newborn Christ. Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) The Second Shepherds' Play is a famous medieval Mystery play which is contained in the manuscript HM1 the unique manuscript of the Wakefield Cycle. ^[1] Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's round table, plays tennis with a group of giants in The Turke and Gowin. Gawain (ˈgɔːwɪn or /gəˈweɪn/ also called Gwalchmei Gawan Gauvain Walewein etc Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders ^[2]

The Medieval form of tennis is termed real tennis. Real tennis evolved over three centuries from an earlier ball game played around the 12th century in France. This had some similarities to palla, fives, pelota, or handball, involving hitting a ball with a bare hand and later with a glove. Palla ( Italian for ball) is a traditional Tuscan ball game played in towns between Siena and Grosseto. Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. American (or court) handball, usually referred to simply as Handball, is a Sport in which players hit a small rubber ball against one or more One theory is that this game was played by monks in monastery cloisters, based on the construction and appearance of early courts. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. A cloister (from Latin claustrum) is a part of Cathedral, Monastic and Abbey architecture By the 16th century, the glove had become a racquet, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had stabilized. Real tennis spread in popularity throughout royalty in Europe and reached its peak in the 16th century.

In France, François I (1515-47) was an enthusiastic player and promoter of real tennis, building courts and encouraging play among the courtiers and commoners. His successor, Henri II (1547-59) was also an excellent player and continued the royal French tradition. During his reign, the first known book about tennis, Trattato del Giuoco della Palla was written in 1555 by an Italian priest, Antonio Scaino da Salo. Two French kings died from tennis related episodes--Louis X of a severe chill after playing and Charles VIII after being struck with a ball. ^[3] King Charles IX granted a constitution to the Corporation of Tennis Professionals in 1571, creating the first pro tennis 'tour', establishing three levels of professionals-- apprentice, associate, and master. The first codification of the rules of real tennis was written by a professional named Forbet and published in 1599. ^[4]

Royal interest in England began with Henry V (1413-22) but it was Henry VIII (1509-47) who made the biggest impact as a young monarch, playing the game with gusto at Hampton Court on a court he had built in 1530, and on several other courts in his palaces. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Hampton Court Palace is a former royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, south west London, England. It is believed that his second wife Anne Boleyn was watching a game of real tennis when she was arrested and that Henry was playing tennis when news was brought to him of her execution. Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536 was the Queen of England as the second wife of Henry VIII of England. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. During the reign of James I (1603-25), there were 14 courts in London. ^[5]

Real tennis is recorded in literature by William Shakespeare who mentions "tennis balles" in his play Henry V, when a basket of them is given to King Henry as a mockery of his youth and playfulness. William Shakespeare ( baptised ^[6]. One of the most striking early references to the game of tennis appears in a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo entitled The Death of Hyacinth (1752-1753) in which a stringed raquet and three tennis balls are depicted. The theme of the painting is the mythological story of Apollo and Hyacinth, written by Ovid and translated into Italian in 1561 by Giovanni Andrea dell'Anguillara who replaced the ancient game of discus throwing of the original text by that of pallacorda or tennis, which had achieved a high status as a form of physical exercise at the courts in the middle of the sixteenth century. Tiepolo's painting, displayed at the Museo Thyssen Bornemisza in Madrid, was ordered in 1752 by a German counts Wilhelm Friedrich Schaumburg Lippe, who was known to be an avid tennis player.

The game thrived among the 17th century nobility in France, Spain, Italy, and in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but suffered under English Puritanism. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar By the Age of Napoleon, the royal families of Europe were besieged and real tennis was largely abandoned. ^[7]Real tennis played a minor role in the history of the French Revolution, through the Tennis Court Oath, a pledge signed by French deputies in a real tennis court, which formed a decisive early step in starting the revolution. The Tennis Court Oath (serment du jeu de paume was a pivotal event during the French Revolution. A revolution (from the Latin revolutio, "a turnaround" is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively In England, during the 18th century and early 19th century as real tennis died out, three other racquet sports emerged-- racquets, squash racquets, and lawn tennis (the modern game). The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Squash is a racquet sport that was formerly called squash racquets, a reference to the "squashable" soft ball used in the game (compared with the

Birth of modern game

Its establishment as the modern sport can be dated to two separate inventions.

Between 1859 and 1865, in Birmingham, England, Major Harry Gem, a solicitor, and his friend Augurio Perera, a Spanish merchant, combined elements of the game of rackets and the Spanish ball game Pelota and played it on a croquet lawn in Edgbaston. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Major Thomas Henry Gem ( 21 May 1819 – 4 November 1881) known as Harry Gem, was an English Lawyer, Soldier A "solicitor" is a term used in many Common law jurisdictions for a lawyer who offers legal services outside of the courts Juan Bautista Augurio Perera was a Spanish -born English -based merchant and sportsman credited alongside his friend Major Harry Gem as the earliest inventor Rackets ( British English) or Racquets ( American English) is an indoor Racquet sport played in the United Kingdom, United States Croquet is a Game played both as a recreational Pastime and as a competitive Sport which involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own District committee. ^[8][9] In 1872, both men moved to Leamington Spa and in 1874, with two doctors from the Warneford Hospital, founded the world's first tennis club. Leamington Spa, properly Royal Leamington Spa, commonly Leamington (ˈlɛmɪŋtən and "Leam" to locals is a Spa town in central ^[10] The Courier of 23 July 1884 recorded one of the first tennis tournaments, held in the grounds of Shrubland Hall. Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year ^[11]

In December 1873, Major Walter Clopton Wingfield devised a similar game for the amusement of his guests at a garden party on his estate of Nantclwyd, in Llanelidan, Wales. Major Walter Clopton Wingfield (October 1833 – April 18, 1912) was a Welsh inventor of lawn tennis (1874 ^[12] He based the game on the older Real tennis. Real tennis is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis or Tennis, is descended At the suggestion of Arthur Balfour, Wingfield named it "lawn tennis,"^[13] and patented the game ^[14] in 1874 with an eight-page rule book, titled “Sphairistike or Lawn Ten-nis,”. Arthur James Balfour 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC (25 July 1848 - 19 March 1930 was a British Conservative politician and Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[15] But he failed to succeed, in enforcing his patent. ^[16]

Wingfield borrowed both the name and much of the French vocabulary of real tennis:

• Tennis comes from the French tenez, the imperative form of the verb tenir, to hold: This was a cry used by the player serving in royal tennis, meaning "I am about to serve!" (rather like the cry "Fore!" in golf). ^[17]
• Racquet comes from raquette, which derives from the Arabic rakhat, meaning the palm of the hand. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[18]
• Deuce comes from à deux le jeu, meaning "to both is the game" (that is, the two players have equal scores). ^[19]
• Love originates from "l'oeuf", the French word for "egg", representing the shape of a zero.
• The convention of numbering scores "15", "30" and "40" comes from quinze, trente and quarante, which to French ears makes a euphonious sequence, or from the quarters of a clock (15, 30, 45) with 45 simplified to 40. ^[19]

Formation of Grand Slams

Tennis spread rapidly among the leisured classes in Britain and the United States. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It was first played in the U. S. at the home of Mary Ewing Outerbridge on Staten Island, New York in 1874. Mary Ewing Outerbridge ( February 16, 1852 &ndash May 3, 1886) imported the lawn game Tennis to the United States Staten Island (ˌstætənˈaɪlənd is a borough of New York City situated primarily on the island of the same name Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[20] In 1881, the desire to play tennis competitively led to the establishment of tennis clubs, which led to the four Grand Slams, which are regarded as the most prestigious events in tennis circuit. Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The four Grand Slam tournaments are the most important Tennis events of the year The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP was formed in 1972 to protect the interests of male professional Tennis players The Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open became and have remained the most prestigious events in tennis. The Championships Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest Tennis tournament in the world and is widely considered as the most prestigious The US Open Tennis tournament is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world first contested in 1881 The French Open ( Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros) is a major Tennis tournament held over The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments held each year ^[21][22] Together these four events are called the Grand Slam (a term borrowed from bridge). Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking Card game of skill and chance (the relative proportions depending ^[23]

1881: U. S. Open

Main article: History of U.S. Open

The U. The US Open Tennis tournament is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world first contested in 1881 S. National Men's Singles Championship, now the U.S. Open, was first held in 1881 at Newport, Rhode Island. The US Open Tennis tournament is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world first contested in 1881 Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States ^[24] The U. S. National Women's Singles Championships were first held in 1887. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[25] On May 21, 1881, the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (now the United States Tennis Association) was formed to standardize the rules and organize competitions. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[26]

1891: The CJS Open

Main article: History of CJS Open

Tennis was predominantly a sport of the English-speaking world, dominated by the United States and Britain. A tennis court is where the game of Tennis is played It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center A clay court is one of the four different types of Tennis court. A clay court is one of the four different types of Tennis court. A tennis court is where the game of Tennis is played It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center DecoTurf is a Tennis hardcourt comprising layers of acrylic, Rubber, Silica, and other materials on top of an Asphalt or Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Forest Hills is a neighborhood in the central part of the New York City borough of Queens. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park or Flushing Meadows Park, is located in northern Queens, New York City ^[27] It was also popular in U. S, where the CJS Open dates to 1891 as the Championat de U. Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common S International de Tennis. . ^[28]

1905: Australian Open

Main article: History of Australian Open

The Australian Open was first played in 1905 as The Australasian Championships. A tennis court is where the game of Tennis is played It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center A clay court is one of the four different types of Tennis court. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments held each year The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments held each year Because of its geographic remoteness, historically, the event did not gain attendance from the top tennis players consistently. As late as 1980s, the event lacked participating from top ranked tennis professionals. Since its move to Melbourne Park in 1988, the Australian Open has been widely regarded as a Grand Slam. Melbourne Park is a sporting arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

History of Davis Cup

Main article: Davis cup

In 1899, Dwight F. Davis of the Harvard University tennis team designed a tournament format with the idea of challenging the British to a tennis showdown. Hastings is the administrative centre of the Hastings District in the Hawke's Bay Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Kooyong Stadium, at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club is a Tennis venue located in Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne Park is a sporting arena in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's Tennis. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Dwight Filley Davis ( July 5, 1879 &ndash November 28, 1945) was an American Tennis player and Politician. ^[29] The first match, between the United States and Great Britain was held in Boston, Massachusetts in 1900. The United States Davis Cup Team represents the United States in Davis Cup Tennis competition and is governed by the United States Tennis Association The Great Britain Davis Cup team represents the United Kingdom in Davis Cup Tennis competition and is controlled by the Lawn Tennis Association The 1900 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the first edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. ^[30] The American team, of which Dwight Davis was a part, surprised the British by winning the first three matches. By 1905 the tournament expanded to include Belgium, Austria, France, and Australasia, a combined team from Australia and New Zealand that competed together until 1913. The 1905 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the fifth edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup. The Belgium Davis Cup team represents Belgium in Davis Cup Tennis competition and are governed by the Royal Belgian Tennis Federation. The Austria Davis Cup team represents Austria in Davis Cup Tennis competition and are governed by Tennis Austria. The France Davis Cup team represents France in Davis Cup Tennis competition and is governed by the Fédération Française de Tennis. The Australian Davis Cup Team is the second most successful Davis Cup team ever to compete in the Davis Cup, winning the coveted Davis Cup title on 23 separate occasions second For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The 1913 International Lawn Tennis Challenge was the 12th edition of what is now known as the Davis Cup.

The tournament was initially known as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge. It was renamed the Davis Cup following the death of Dwight Davis in 1945. The tournament has vastly expanded and, on its 100th anniversary in 1999, 129 nations competed for the prestigious Davis Cup.

Formation of ITF

From the roots of Davis Cup and the need to establish an international tennis federation, in 1913, twelve National Tennis Associations agreed at a Paris Conference to form the International Lawn Tennis Federation, which was renamed in 1977 as the current International Tennis Federation (ITF). The International Tennis Federation (ITF is the governing body of world Tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations ^[31] The comprehensive International Lawn Tennis Federation rules promulgated in 1924 have remained remarkably stable in the ensuing eighty years, the one major change being the addition of the tie-breaker system designed by James Van Alen. The International Tennis Federation (ITF is the governing body of world Tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations James Henry Van Alen (September 19 1902 &ndash July 3 1991 is best known for being the founder of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the largest tennis museum in the ^[32]

Tennis Hall of fame

In 1954, James Van Alen founded the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a non-profit museum in Newport, Rhode Island. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) James Henry Van Alen (September 19 1902 &ndash July 3 1991 is best known for being the founder of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the largest tennis museum in the The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit Tennis Hall of fame and Museum at the Newport Casino in Newport Rhode Island Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence ^[33] The building contains a large collection of tennis memorabilia as well as a hall of fame honoring prominent members and tennis players from all over the world. Each year, a grass-court tournament is hosted on its grounds, as well as an induction ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members.

Pro Tournaments

Main article: Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era

The main events of the professional circuit comprised head-to-head competition and Pro Championships, which are regarded as Grand Slam tournaments till Open Era in 1968. Before the beginning of the Open era in 1968 only amateurs were allowed to compete in mainstream Tennis tournaments including the four Grand Slams However some top

The popular tennis professional players were under contract with a professional promoter during the pre-Open Era. This article describes the History For example, popular players like Suzanne Lenglen and Vincent Richards were engaged by Charles C. Suzanne Rachel Flore Lenglen ( 24 May 1899 &ndash 4 July, 1938) was a French Tennis player who won 31 Grand Slam Vincent ("Vinnie" Richards ( 30 March 1903 &mdash 28 September 1959) was a top American Tennis player in the early Pyle to tour in North America. The professionals under contract were controlled by their promoters and could not always play the tournaments they wanted while the amateur players followed their national (and international) federation. For example, In 1939, Norman Brookes, president of the Australian Federation, decided not to send Australian players to Wimbledon because he wanted them to prepare for the Davis Cup. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Norman Everard Brookes (born 14 November 1877 in Melbourne Victoria &ndash died 28 September 1968 in Melbourne Victoria) was an Australian Tennis The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's Tennis. Therefore, great Aussie players as John Bromwich or Adrian Quist went to the USA to capture the Cup but didn't play Wimbledon. John Edward Bromwich (born November 14, 1918 in Sydney NSW &ndash died October 21, 1999 in Adrian Karl Quist (4 August 1913 in Medindie, South Australia – 17 November 1991 in Sydney NSW) was an Australian male Tennis player The Championships Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest Tennis tournament in the world and is widely considered as the most prestigious Consequently during the first century of tennis the players had absolutely no power.

Pro tours

Most professionals played in separate professional events, mostly on tours in head-to-head competition referred as pro tours. In 1926, promoter C. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. C. Pyle established the first professional tennis tour with a group of American and French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. ^[22][34] The most notable of these early professionals were the American Vinnie Richards and the Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen. Vincent ("Vinnie" Richards ( 30 March 1903 &mdash 28 September 1959) was a top American Tennis player in the early Suzanne Rachel Flore Lenglen ( 24 May 1899 &ndash 4 July, 1938) was a French Tennis player who won 31 Grand Slam ^[22][35] Once a player turned pro he or she could not compete in the major (amateur) tournaments. ^[22] In the years before the open era, male professionals often played more frequently in tours than in tournaments because a head-to-head tour between two tennis stars was much more remunerative than a circuit of pro tournaments and the number of professional tournaments was small. This article describes the History For example, Fred Perry earned U. Frederick John Perry (18 May 1909 – 2 February 1995 born in Stockport, Cheshire, was an English Tennis and Table tennis S. $91,000 in a 1937 North American tour against Ellsworth Vines but won only U. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Henry Ellsworth Vines Jr (September 28 1911 – March 17 1994 was an American Tennis champion of the 1930s the World No S. $450 for his 1938 victory at the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. US Pro Tennis Championships was the oldest professional tennis tournament played until its final year of 1999 Vines probably never entered a tournament between the London Indoor Professional Championship in October 1935, which he won, and the May 1939 edition of that tournament, which he lost. In 1937, Vines played 70 matches on two tours and no matches in tournaments. Even in the 1950s, some professionals continued to play numerous tour matches. During his first five months as a professional (January through May 1957), Ken Rosewall played 76 matches on a tour against Pancho Gonzales but only 9 matches in tournaments. Kenneth Robert ("Ken" Rosewall AM MBE (born 2 November 1934, in Sydney, Australia) is a former amateur Ricardo Alonso González or Richard Gonzalez, (May 9 1928 &ndash July 3 1995 who was generally known as Pancho Gonzales or less often as Pancho Gonzalez As an example of the small number of professional tournaments held before the open era, Joe McCauley has determined that for 1952, only 7 professional tournaments were played by the top international players, and 2 other professional tournaments (the British Pro and the German Pro) were reserved for domestic players. It was only during the 1960s that professional tournaments became more significant than tours.

Pro Championships

In addition to head-to-head events there were several annual professional tournaments that were called championship tournaments. The most prestigious was the Wembley Professional Championship at Wembley in England, played between 1934 and 1990, that was unofficially considered the world's championship through 1967. Wembley Arena is a famous Entertainment venue located in Wembley, London, UK. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The oldest was the United States Professional Championship, played between 1927 and 1999. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Between 1955 and 1962, it was played indoors in Cleveland and was called the World Professional Championships. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The third major tournament was the French Professional Championship, played between 1930 and 1968. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The British and American championships continued into the Open era but devolved to the status of minor tournaments. This article describes the History

These three tournaments until 1967 are referred as the professional Grand Slam tournaments by tennis historians such as Robert Geist and Raymond Lee [1]. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar.

Open Era

See also: World Championship Tennis and Grand Prix tennis circuit

In 1968, commercial pressures led to the abandonment of the distinction between professionals and amateurs, inaugurating the Open era, in which all players could compete in all tournaments, and top players were able to make their living from tennis. World Championship Tennis (WCT was a tour for professional male Tennis players established in 1968 (the first players signed a contract at the end of 1967 and lasted until The Grand Prix tennis circuit was a professional tennis circuit that existed from 1970 to 1989 Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[36]Thus, the open era in tennis began in 1968, when the Grand Slam tournaments, such as Wimbledon, abandoned the longstanding rules of amateurism and allowed professionals to compete. Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The four Grand Slam tournaments are the most important Tennis events of the year The Championships Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest Tennis tournament in the world and is widely considered as the most prestigious Amateurism (from Fr amateur "lover of" from OFr from L The first Grand Slam tournament to go "open" was the French Open (Roland Garros). The 1968 French Open was the first Grand Slam tournament of the Open Era.

Formation of WCT & NTL

In 1967, some professionals were independent including Lewis Hoad, Luis Ayala, and Owen Davidson but, most of the best players were under contract. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Lewis Alan ("Lew" Hoad (born November 23, 1934 in Glebe New South Wales, Australia, died July 3, 1994 in Luis Ignacio Ayala (born January 12, 1978 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico) is a professional Baseball Pitcher (born October 4, 1943 in Melbourne) was a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s Partnering Billie Jean King

• National Tennis League (NTL) by George McCall
  • Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Andres Gimeno, Pancho Gonzales and Fred Stolle
• World Championship Tennis (WCT) by Dave Dixon (succeeded by Lamar Hunt)
  • Handsome Eight: John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Nikki Pilic, Roger Taylor, Pierre Barthès, Earl "Butch" Buchholz, Cliff Drysdale and Dennis Ralston

So the professionals under contract were controlled by their promoters and could not play the tournaments they wanted. For the arena in Melbourne Park used for show matches in the Australian Open, see Rod Laver Arena Rodney George "Rod" Laver Roy Stanley Emerson (born November 3 1936) is a former Australian Tennis player who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam Kenneth Robert ("Ken" Rosewall AM MBE (born 2 November 1934, in Sydney, Australia) is a former amateur Andrés Gimeno Tolaguera (born August 3, 1937 in Barcelona, Spain) is a retired Spanish Tennis player whose major achievement Ricardo Alonso González or Richard Gonzalez, (May 9 1928 &ndash July 3 1995 who was generally known as Pancho Gonzales or less often as Pancho Gonzalez Frederick "Fred" Sydney Stolle ( October 8, 1938) is an Australian male tennis player John David Newcombe AO OBE (born 23 May 1944 in Sydney Australia) is a former World No See also Tony Roche (writer Anthony "Tony" Dalton Roche (born May 17, 1945) is a former professional Australian tennis player Nikola "Niki" Pilic ( Croatian: Nikola Pilić; born 27 August 1939 in Split, Littoral Banovina, Kingdom Roger Taylor is a British tennis player (born 14 October 1941, in Sheffield, England). Pierre Barthès (born 13 September 1941) is a French former professional tour tennis player Earl "Butch" Buchholz Jr, (born September 16 1940, in St Cliff Drysdale (born May 26, 1941 in Nelspruit, in the former Transvaal (now in the Mpumalanga province South Africa) Richard Dennis Ralston (born July 27 1942 in Bakersfield California) is an American former professional Tennis player In 1968, the WCT players weren't allowed to participate by their own boss in French Open. The French Open ( Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros) is a major Tennis tournament held over In 1970, the NTL players didn't play the Australian Open because their organization didn't receive a guarantee. The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments held each year In 1970, neither WCT nor NTL players played in the French Open.

Formation of Grand Prix

In Open era, promoters of NTL and WCT began to control the whole game. For example, if Wimbledon didn't want to pay their price, the promoters held their players out of the event. To prevent such a control, Jack Kramer, the best player in the world in the 1940s and 1950s and a promoter himself, conceived the Grand Prix in 1969. John Albert Kramer (born August 1, 1921, in Las Vegas, Nevada) was a champion U He described it as "a series of tournaments with a money bonus pool that would be split up on the basis of a cumulative point system. This would encourage the best players to compete regularly in the series, so that they could share in the bonus at the end and qualify for a special championship tournament that would climax the year". ^[37].

In 1970, only a few contract players showed up for the French Open. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF), predecessor of International Tennis Federation (ITF), alarmed by the control of the promoters, approved Kramer's proposition of Grand Prix. The International Tennis Federation (ITF is the governing body of world Tennis, made up of 205 national tennis associations The first Grand Prix tournament was the British Hard Court Championships played on clay at Bournemouth on April 28. Twenty seven tournaments including the three Grand Slams, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open were played that year with Stockholm tournament ended on November 1. The independent professionals along with a few contract players entered the Grand Prix circuit. The contract players could play the Grand Prix events if they were allowed and had time left apart from their own circuit.

ILTF & WCT rivalry and creation of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)

The first WCT tournaments were held in February 1968 and the first NTL tournaments in March 1968. In spring 1970, the WCT absorbed the NTL.

In 1971, the WCT run its circuit with 20 tournaments and the year-ending WCT Finals held in November. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. At the end of 1970, a panel of journalists ranked the best players in the world. This ranking served to the WCT organization to sent invitations to the 32 best men to play the 1971 WCT circuit: among these 32 players, those who declined the invitation and stayed independent professionals (as opposed to the WCT contract pros) were Ilie Năstase, Stan Smith, Jan Kodeš, Željko Franulović and Clark Graebner. Ilie Năstase (born July 19, 1946, in Bucharest, Romania) is a former Romanian professional tennis player and one of the top players Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946 in Pasadena California) is a former American Tennis player who with his partner Bob Lutz Jan Kodes ( Czech: Jan Kodeš; born March 1 1946, in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a right-handed Czech former Željko Franulović (born 13 June, 1947, Split, Croatia, Yugoslavia) is a former Yugoslav tennis player best remembered Clark Graebner (born November 4, 1943) is an American professional Tennis player originally from Cleveland Ohio, who won a number of championships So in 1971, the majority of the best players in the world played mainly the WCT circuit and not the Grand Prix circuit, which principally consisted of the independent professionals.

The Australian Open was a WCT competition whereas Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Forest Hills were Grand Prix events. The conflict between the ILTF running the Grand Prix and the WCT was so strong that Rosewall, Gimeno, Laver, Emerson and other WCT players didn't enter the U. S. Open. There was a third professional circuit that year with the U. S Indoor Circuit run by Bill Riordan, future manager of Jimmy Connors. James Scott "Jimmy" Connors (born September 2 1952 in East St

In 1972, the struggle between ILTF and WCT ended with ILTF's ban of the contract pro players from January to July and consequently the WCT contract pros were strictly forbidden to play the Grand Prix circuit including Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At the U. S. Open where all players were together they set up a syndicate of players in order to protect them against the ILTF and national officials or the WCT promoters as well. Thus was born the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in September 1972.

In 1973, there were four rival pro circuits: the WCT circuit, the Grand Prix circuit, the U. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. S. indoor circuit with Connors and Ilie Nastase and the European Spring Circuit with Nastase as their star. Ilie Năstase (born July 19, 1946, in Bucharest, Romania) is a former Romanian professional tennis player and one of the top players

Integration

Until 1977, the WCT and Grand Prix circuits were separate and in 1978 the Grand Prix circuit integrated the WCT circuit with its eight tournaments. In 1982, the WCT circuit came out independent again and created a more complex WCT ranking, similar to the ATP ranking. The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP was formed in 1972 to protect the interests of male professional Tennis players Because of WCT's failure in the 1980s, the Grand Prix circuit then became the main professional circuit. The governance of the Grand Prix was led by the Men's International Professional Tennis Council (MIPTC), later renamed to Men's Tennis Council (MTC).

With the start of the Open Era, the establishment of an international professional tennis circuit, and revenues from the sale of television rights, tennis has spread all over the world and shed its upper-class English-speaking image. In America, the game has seen a seismic shift from a sport that the "country-club set" played to one that is an activity for anyone. This is perhaps best embodied in the fact that in the 1970s, when popularity of the game was at a peak, the USTA decided to move the U. S. Open from the posh West Side Tennis Club to a public park (the USTA National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows Park) that is accessible to anyone with the "greens fees. The West Side Tennis Club is a private Tennis club located in Forest Hills, a neighborhood in New York City, USA. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park or Flushing Meadows Park, is located in northern Queens, New York City "^[38] About the same time, the ruling body's name was also changed from the United States Lawn Tennis Association to the United States Tennis Association. ^[39]

Formation of the ATP Tour

In 1990, the Association of Tennis Professionals, led by Hamilton Jordan, replaced the MTC as the governing body of men's professional tennis, and the ATP Tour was born. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) William Hamilton McWhorter Jordan ( September 21 1944 &ndash May 20 2008) was Chief of Staff to President of the United States With the beginning of the ATP Tour in 1990, the nine most prestigious events on the Tour became known as Super Nine events. The ATP Masters Series is a series of nine Tennis tournaments that are part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP tour held annually throughout the year The label 'Grand Prix' was done away with by the ATP Tour at the beginning of 1990. Twelve of the more prestigious Grand Prix events became International Series Gold tournaments, while the remaining ones (approximately 50) became known as International Series events. International Series Gold (previously known as the Championship Series) is a series of professional Tennis tournaments held internationally that are part of the The International Series (previously known as the World Series) is a series of professional Tennis tournaments held internationally that are part of the ATP Tour The format has been continued from the 1998 season to the present. The Super Nine events was later recalled the Masters Series tournaments and offered the best fields, the best facilities and the most prize money after the Grand Slam tournaments. In 2000, the Grand Slam tournaments and the Masters Series tournaments became the only mandatory events in tennis. Players were automatically entered and the Masters Series and the Slams became the baseline for player rankings.

Women's Pro Tennis

Women’s professional tennis began in 1947 with a short-lived series of exhibition matches between Pauline Betz and Sarah Palfrey Cooke, both U. Grand Slam record French Championships Singles finalist 1946 Women's Doubles finalist 1946 Mixed Doubles champion Sarah Hammond Palfrey Fabyan Cooke Danzig (born September 18, 1912 in Sharon, Massachusetts, USA &ndash died February 27 S. National Champions. In 1950-51, Bobby Riggs signed Betz and Gussie Moran to play in a pro tour with Jack Kramer and Pancho Segura, with Betz dominating Moran. Robert Larimore ("Bobby" Riggs ( February 25, 1918 &ndash October 25, 1995) was a 1930s&ndash40s John Albert Kramer (born August 1, 1921, in Las Vegas, Nevada) was a champion U Pancho Segura, born Francisco Olegario Segura ( June 20, 1921, known as "Segoo") was a leading Althea Gibson turned pro in 1958 and joined with Karol Fageros (“the Golden Goddess”) to play one-nighters as the opening act for the Harlem Globetrotters for one season. Biography Born in Silver South Carolina, Gibson was the daughter of Sharecroppers and was raised in Harlem, New York City. The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism and Comedy. For the next nine years, there was virtually no women’s pro tennis until 1967 when promoter George McCall signed Billie Jean King, Ann Jones, Francoise Durr, and Rosie Casals to join his tour of eight men for two years. Billie Jean King ( née Moffitt) (born November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California) is a retired Tennis Ann Jones may refer to Ann Haydon-Jones, British tennis champion born 1938 Ann Jones (Welsh politician, born 1953 Labour politician Françoise Durr (born December 25 1942 in Algiers, Algeria) is a former Tennis player from France. Rosemary "Rosie" Casals (born September 16, 1948) is an American professional Tennis player ^[40]. The pro women then played as independents as the Open Era began.

When the pro men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) came into being in 1972, promoter Jack Kramer invited pro women to play at the Pacific Southwest Championships but offered only $7,500 in prize money versus the men’s total of $50,000. John Albert Kramer (born August 1, 1921, in Las Vegas, Nevada) was a champion U When Kramer refused to adjust the prize money, Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals urged a boycott but instead a separate women’s tournament was established by Gladys Heldman, American publisher of ‘’World Tennis’’ magazine, with the sponsorship of Virginia Slims cigarettes. The WT Women’s Pro Tour was set up in 1971-72. The new tour offered prize money nearly ten times more than other pro women’s tennis events but it also created a great deal of friction with the USLTA which initially would not sanction the tour. After a series of ultimatums and contract disputes, the conflict was resolved with Virginia Slims sponsoring individual events and the USLTA taking over the tour. In 1973, the U. S. Open provided equal prize money to men and women players for the first time. Billie Jean King, the most visible advocate for the women’s cause, benefitted greatly under the improved pay regime, earning over $100,000 in 1971 and 1972. ^[41]. In the famous “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match against crafty Bobby Riggs in September 1973, King brought even more media attention to tennis, and to women professionals in all walks of life. Robert Larimore ("Bobby" Riggs ( February 25, 1918 &ndash October 25, 1995) was a 1930s&ndash40s

The Women's Tennis Association, formed in 1973, is the principal organizing body of women's professional tennis. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) It organizes the WTA Tour, the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. From 1971-1978, the event was known as the Virginia Slims Championships. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) When Avon took over as the tour sponsor from 1979–1982, the event was known as the Avon Championships. Avon Products Inc is a US Cosmetics, Perfume and Toy seller with markets in over 135 countries across the world and sales of $9 Virginia Slims returned as the tour sponsor in 1983 and the event name reverted to the Virginia Slims Championships. Virginia Slims is a Brand of Cigarette manufactured by Philip Morris. It remained that way until 1994 when Virginia Slims ended their sponsorship of the WTA Tour. In 1995, without a tour sponsor, the event was simply referred to as the WTA Tour Championships. Since then, the tournament has been named after other event sponsors. From 1996 to 2000, it was called the Chase Championships. In 2001, it was the Sanex Championships while in 2002, it was the Home Depot Championships. In 2003 and 2004, the event name was once again the WTA Tour Championships. Since 2005, with Sony Ericsson taking over as tour sponsor, the event has been called the Sony Ericsson Championships. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sony Ericsson is a Joint venture established in 2001 by the Japanese Consumer electronics Company Sony Corporation and the From 1984–1998, the final of the championships was a best-of-five-set match – making it the only tournament on the women's tour to have a best-of-five-set match at any round of the competition. In 1999, the final reverted to being a best-of-three-set match, as had been the case from 1971–1983. The WTA Tour Championships are generally considered to be the fifth most prestigious event on the women's tour after the four Grand Slam tournaments. The four Grand Slam tournaments are the most important Tennis events of the year

References

1. ^ Anonymous (Late 1300s). The Second Shepherd's Play Scene VIII.
2. ^ Hahn, Thomas(1995). Sir Gawain: Eleven Romances and Tales. Medieval Institute Publications
3. ^ Richard Schickel, The World of Tennis, 1975, New York, The Ridge Press, ISBN 0-394-49940-9, p. 32
4. ^ The Encyclopedia of Tennis, p. 17
5. ^ The Encyclopedia of Tennis, p. 18
6. ^ Shakespeare, William (Early 1600s). The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth. Act 1, Scene 2
7. ^ The Encyclopedia of Tennis, p. 21
8. ^ Tyzack, Anna, The True Home of Tennis Country Life, 22 June 2005
9. ^ "Lawn Tennis and Major T. H. Gem" Birmingham Civic Society
10. ^ Leamington Tennis Club. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
11. ^ Introduction to Tennis. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
12. ^ The History of Tennis - Mary Bellis
13. ^ The History of Tennis. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
14. ^ February 23, 1874 in History. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
15. ^ When the Girls Came Out to Play: The Birth of American Sportswear. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
16. ^ The Beginnings Of Lawn Tennis - University of South Carolina Libraries
17. ^ St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture - Lloyd Chiasson Jr
18. ^ Tennis from Beijing Olympics 2008. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
19. ^ ^{a b} The Online Guide to Traditional Games. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
20. ^ Women In Sport. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
21. ^ Grand Slam - Australian Open
22. ^ ^{a b c d} Suzanne Lenglen and the First Pro Tour. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
23. ^ Originality of the phrase "Grand Slam". Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
24. ^ Fact & History of Rhodes Island. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
25. ^ Leading The Way - BBC Sport
26. ^ History of United States Tennis Association. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
27. ^ Tennis: Britain Misses Out on World Party That Once Roused Fury of the Fuhrer. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
28. ^ History of the U.S Open. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
29. ^ Evans, R. : The Davis Cup: Celebrating 100 Years of International Tennis, ITF, 1999. URL last accessed 2007-09-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris.
30. ^ Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
31. ^ History of The Davis Cup. URL last accessed 2007-09-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde.
32. ^ James Henry Van Alen in the Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
33. ^ International Tennis Hall of Fame Information. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
34. ^ History of the Pro Tennis Wars Chapter 2, part 1 1927-1928. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
35. ^ Open Minded - Bruce Goldman
36. ^ Tennis, professional tournaments before the open era
37. ^ THE GAME My 40 Years in Tennis, by Jack Kramer with Frank Deford, pages 275-276
38. ^ History of the West Side Tennis Club. Before the beginning of the Open era in 1968 only amateurs were allowed to compete in mainstream Tennis tournaments including the four Grand Slams However some top Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
39. ^ History of USTA. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the
40. ^ Max Robertson, ‘’The Encyclopedia of Tennis’’, 1974, The Viking Press, New York, ISBN 670-29408-X, p. 68
41. ^ Max Robertson, p. 70

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic