High life
Sorry, Simon you are wrong
Taki
Ihate to disagree with Simon Jenkins, but he got it all wrong on tennis last week. Mr Jenkins correctly stated that singles ten- nis is the most exciting sport on earth, but then went on to say that the people who rule most modern sports are not just con- servatives, but blind reactionaries. He wants change in tennis and football and even in some track and field events, but I wish to dwell only on tennis.
The reason tennis has become unwatch- able — and will pretty soon be unplayable — is because what Simon Jenkins says needs to take place has already taken place — about 14 years ago — when graphite rackets made it possible for everybody to play good tennis, and for good tennis play- ers to hit the ball with all their strength, off the wrong foot or not, and still make a great shot.
Tennis used to be among the hardest games to learn to play. One can learn to ride, ski, box, run, play cricket, football and so on quite competently with a minimum of instruction. Needless to say, one needs tal- ent, courage, great dedication and expert instruction to compete on world levels. But one could have had all these things going for one and still be unable to play tennis. I use the past tense because I'm talking of the period when rackets were wooden, balls were softer, and one had to keep at least one foot on the ground while serving.
When the hucksters who rule America developed the new rackets, they did so for one reason only. Sales. The new technology made every hacker a believer. Everyone suddenly could play. Not so in the old days. Back during those halcyon days a point had to be developed. There was great subtlety to the game. One needed touch, intelli- gence, guile, as well as strength and speed. Better yet, wooden rackets made the game extremely difficult. The reason so few play- ers hit top spin back then was because top spin worked in practice but not during a tight match and on a crucial point. Players without power could overpower stronger ones by taking the ball early, giving no pace to the Hercules across the net, or by play- ing the centre theory on big hitters, as Arthur Ashe did in the 1975 'Wimbledon final against that arch vulgarian Jimmy Conors.
In fact, the only time one sees a lob vol- ley or a drop shot while returning serve nowadays is while watching women's ten- nis, which is rapidly becoming the only game to watch. But look at a video of two big hitters in the Wimbledon marathon between Pasarell and Gonzales, and you'll see all the shots ever invented. Or, likewise, two net rushers like the great Lew Hoad and Mervyn Rose. Whereas today, even in that vastly entertaining match from the baseline between Agassi and Krickstein this year at SW19, there were only whacks at full throttle from the back. C'est tout.
Tennis should follow American major league baseball which has kept the game's continuity by banning metal bats. New technology is permitted among the pee-wee leagues, so children and students can be successful. Let the hackers go on an ego trip with graphite, but apply the same degree of difficulty that the great golden oldies had to put up with. Give me a Drob- ny vs Patty match and I'll show you what tennis is all about. Or a Hoad against Rosewall.
The tennis rulebook was once as thick as Maltese war heroes. Now it resembles War and Peace. The collapse of manners and pursuit of moolah has made it de rigueur to write everything down. No Mr Jenkins. Tennis was fine until change came along.
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