Gold rush in Tennis
Started some decades ago, youngsters’ left home seeking film world stardom arrived in Los Angeles, USA with the motto ‘Hollywood or bust’.
Annually, by gauging equipment sales and other sources, it is estimated that as much as 15 million get exposed to the world of Tennis.
The attraction to reach the top ten is a powerful magnet for any would-be Tennis player. It is only in that pedestal that Prize money, fame, endorsements, kick offs and others pay dividend in a mega scale.
Tennis, also as in some other sport, can change lives drastically to be good. It is a dream world of stardom, but an equivalent of ‘Hollywood or bust’ also exists in the Tennis world.
In 1991 Serbian Djokovic started to play Tennis and now is 28. In these many years of his Tennis top ten positions were achieved only by a number around 40 and the coveted number one position only by about 8.
Remarkably, Djokovic has been in his present position of number one for some years now as Nadal and Federer and Sampras before him.
Considering that the starting block has millions every year, the chances of making the top seems remote as ‘catching a shooting star.’
To reach such heights, no management can guarantee. It is a gamble as a profession and success depends entirely on the player’s character and none other.
Life span as number one
The game of Tennis with its origins in ancient Egypt seven millenniums ago came to be fostered in Europe. European migration took it to the Americas, Australia and their colonised territories. One could say it is not very prominent in Africa except in colonial South Africa.
Sport was an activity designed for warrior clans and armies in peace time. It kept the men battle ready in the bygone times.
With such a requirement no more a necessity in our times, sport has firmly taken the role of entertainment, health, character building and economy. Much of the values of sport as in the yester years are lost domains now.
The position of number one from the time Djokovic started Tennis, until now, were dominated by eight players in men’s and in women is equally small. The success ratio it represented shows a frighteningly low probability in terms of attractiveness as a career.
Need of champions
Scouts are constantly combing the globe to spot talent and manage them as Tennis business ventures and as promoters. Academies in Europe and USA are into this quest and have registered considerable success.
Canada, England and others have stepped up their efforts in recent times. Almost all the countries where Tennis is present are in constant pursuit to create players from their talent pools.
Another very important essential for success in advanced countries is the availability of facilities and opportunities to play. Being a game based sport it is far more important to play than to train or coached to progress.
It is true that the ‘sport’ which is better organised in player development and prospects attract the best talent.
It is professionalism so no sportsperson cares about the woes of a bad administration and other lame excuses. In Europe Football bounced back into popularity beating all other sports with their changes to the competition format and player prospects.
In Tennis, broad-basing of player earnings in singles and doubles has improved the image of Tennis and is attracting more talent, thanks to professional bodies like the ATP and the WTA.
Profile of Tennis talent
Tennis talent which is specific and demanding makes the search for prospective players a daunting pursuit. Today, a good male player has to be at least 6 foot 2 in height, very athletic for reaction, powerful, enduring and intelligent.
Such standards are required for women as well. I am certain that anyone having all these attributes will have many other options even more attractive than Tennis. There is no way one could ‘sweet talk’ such a person to come into the game of Tennis unless she or he has the ‘passion’ it.
Success has a ‘catch-word’
‘Passion’ is the ‘catch word’ for success in Tennis. It is a game which devours people with passion. In fact, most sports do this. If passion for the game is instilled in the early years, the probability of a champion coming to being is very good.
Every good player will cherish the moments of a good match for life. If this is not experienced, Tennis will not be an attractive activity and never could be a passionate thing.
The top ten players are passionate about the game. Playing year-in-and year-out tennis never failed to fascinate them. So does talking about the game and watching it being played. Passion for the game is the ‘Gold rush route in Tennis’.
New Gold Rush season
Elites are getting ready for the 2016 season which takes off in the last week of 2015 in Brisbane, Australia. Federer has split from his current coach Sweden’s Stefan Edberg whom he enlisted when he started to slide down.
Roger’s survival this long certifies his passion. The ‘Gold Rush group’ will appear in Australia in January to begin another full year to indulge in their passion – Tennis.
George Paldano, Former int. player; Accredited Coach of Germany; National, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup coach–. gptennis.ceylon@gmail.com