I grew up in the era of Arthur, John, Chrissy, Jimmy, Martina and Bjorn. In the 1970s and 80s of the last century, action at Wimbledon, Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows was above-the-fold sports news.  

TV audiences were huge, audiences which included me, my family and most of my friends. Top pro tennis players were some of the most popular and recognizable celebrities on faces on the planet and were hounded in public by paparazzi, gawkers and plain old fans. Tennis racquets in the corner were as common as pet rocks and cans of soda for a quarter. 

McEnroe/Connors and Evert/Navratilova going at it hammer and tong at Wimbledon or Flushing Meadows was a magnificent display of gift, grit and graceful athleticism. They and their peers utilized the whole court. They dribbled drops, lifted lobs, punched passing shots and chased down the same in return. To watch it was wonderful, exciting and frequently breathless athletic competition. 

Today, outside of Tennis Goddess Serena Williams, I couldn’t pick three professional tennis players – male or female – out of a lineup of six people. If they broadcast professional tennis on TV nowadays, it’s confined to the “Ennui Network”  or YouTube. 

So what happened to tennis over the last 40 years that knocked it off the top shelf of international sports and onto the lower channels of the UHF-antenna on your Zenith?