7th Millennium of Tennis
View(s):Most of the sports have their origin in the military cultures of mighty empires and dynasties. Tennis has been traced back to Egypt. Like Athletics, it is another from the Nile civilisation of Mediterranean Africa. Physical well-being was of great importance to those living in that era. Sport as peace time activity provided just that. In the new year of 2000 the Gregorian calendar celebrated the birth of its 2nd millennium. At the same time Egypt was welcoming the world into its 7th millennium. Tennis is very likely to be that old.
Recreational Tennis
Tennis came to Sri Lanka around 1850s’, in an era when it was replacing Archery in the Victorian England as a popular recreational activity. Recreational sport had a purpose then and will have one in 2014. Originally sport was to build a nation of healthy people for defense and in many cases to expand territories. It has always been somewhat a form of military training in civil life. This is why European dynasties fostered sport. The Englishmen brought Tennis and other sport to Ceylon to create a lifestyle similar to that of 
England, for the colonial residents. Recreational Tennis could be considered the first phase of modern Tennis. Vietnam under the French had the most amounts of Tennis courts in Asia for the same reason. The last Emperor of China made a wooden Tennis court inside the forbidden-city in Beijing trying to introduce Tennis to China. Although Tennis was banned in revolutionary China, ‘modern China’ is the leading Asian country in Tennis. Sports bodies, local and international were limited in resources and in organizational capabilities. To be effective, they relied on the support of Governments and it has not changed even today.
Tennis Events
Wimbledon in 1878 could be considered the first recognised Tennis event. It was also the beginning of the second phase of the game. It lasted till the end of the Second World War in 1945 with many events worldwide in which only the amateurs were allowed to participate. In the 1950s professional players appeared but they had to play among themselves. 1969 saw an end to that and professionals and amateurs played together in the 1969 Wimbledon. Arthur Ash won the US-Open in the mixed era and collected $ 50 a day expenses as an amateur and Tom Okker of Netherland was the runner-up to him and collected $14,000 as a professional.
Today’s Changes and Challenges
What we have now is the third phase of Tennis. In this scenario, recreational Tennis is losing ground and professional events have firmly taken control. This means ATP and WTA are in control now. The global influences of these two have made Tennis, a sport of top end ‘Gladiators.’ Tennis news is the performance of the top 100 in the world. This may not be all welcoming to many, but this is the reality. What more, Tennis is competing with Hollywood and other entertainment industries. Tennis of today is mostly a ‘Performance-sport’. What does it mean to us? Arenas and stadiums and not membership-clubs and courts are what we will see from now on.
Junior development got a big boost in the late 70s and early 80s, but when it started to use the same facilities of the participatory base it eliminated the participatory players. It should have had its own facilities. It was a design flaw. At that time long term effects were ‘unknown’ and yet we ventured into it. Club-membership dropped due to this and so did the number of courts they maintained. Most of the recreational Tennis is played in private courts now. ‘Achievers’ is the new word of those who master skills today. It takes about 10 
years of dedicated work to be a ‘Tennis-achiever’. Those who go through this will play Tennis till 90. Dr. Archie Abeygunawardene a psychiatrist in Colombo did just that and in his 70’s he could beat juniors in singles. As a junior, I have been another of Dr. Abeygunawardene’s afternoon Tennis victims.
Time to start ‘Sri Lanka Open’
A city as the ‘port of call’ through Tennis has gained immense popularity. ATP and WTA are the two player based organisations which control this show. Shanghai-Open, Moscow-Open, Indiana-Wells, Singapore-Open, Madrid-Open and the Dubai-Open are making their cities very popular for tourism with Tennis events. Local events are of interest only to the parents and vested parties. Mega cities are popularizing their name with Open-Tennis events. ‘City-Branding’ through Tennis has proved itself very fruitful in the last twenty years. Some of these cities do not have good players of their own. ‘Open-Events’ overcome this short coming and provide the base for good spectator events and attract overseas visitors. It is time to start Sri Lanka-Open to help our city tourism.
Tennis has come through a long passage of time. Anything to survive this long must be having beneficial effect to man. Empires and Dynasties have supported Tennis. Tennis is still very big globally, big enough to attract interest from all quarters. Globally 2013 can be named a ‘Tennis year’ and it is bound to be even better in 2014. The ‘appeal of the game’ is the reason behind the growth of Tennis in the last one hundred years. This would continue into 2014. Sporting-events keep the Sports-culture alive in people. If the events are strong, the sporting culture will be strong. Let us hope, Tennis in 2014 will get the support to prosper and provide memorable moments in its 7th millennium of existence. –Season’s Greeting and Best Wishes for 2014!
George Paldano, former international player; Accredited Coach of Germany, ITF and USPTR; National, Davis Cup and Federation Cup Coach–gptennis.ceylon@gmail.com-