The Open Era in Tennis
The term ‘Open Era’ in tennis signifies a significant transformation that began in 1968, allowing professional athletes to compete alongside amateur players in major tournaments, notably the Grand Slams, which are overseen by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). This reform essentially made tournaments “open” to all competitors and marked a pivotal shift towards the commercialization and professionalization of tennis, granting players the opportunity to earn monetary rewards based on their performance in competitions.
Historical Context
Prior to the inception of the Open Era, the sport had stringent amateur rules. The four Grand Slam tournaments, some of the most prestigious in tennis, originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: Wimbledon commenced in 1877, the US Open followed suit in 1881, with the French Open arriving in 1891 and the Australian Open in 1905. In the era before 1968, these tournaments were exclusively accessible to amateur athletes—those who did not receive payment for their participation. Professional players, who were often better trained and equipped to excel due to their full-time focus on the sport, were limited to competing in separate, non-Grand Slam events. This was intended to level the playing field, as excluding professionals was believed to ensure fairer competitions.
The Turning Point
The turning point came in April 1968 with the British Hard Court Championships, which was the inaugural tournament of the newly established Open Era. Ken Rosewall from Australia and Virginia Wade from Britain emerged victorious, collecting prize money of £1,000 and £300, respectively. Wimbledon became the first of the Grand Slam tournaments to adopt this open format, although it is unique in not including the term “Open” in its title—unlike its counterparts, which transitioned from their original titles (the French Championships became the French Open, the US National Championships morphed into the US Open, and the Australian Championships were renamed the Australian Open).
Conclusion
This article is part of an informational series presented by BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team, which is committed to answering readers’ inquiries regarding sports and providing insights and analyses drawn from a network of experts. The team caters to a diverse array of questions and delivers coverage through various platforms, encompassing the BBC Sport website, app, and social media, as well as both television and radio broadcasts.
