The forthwith period is known as the Open Era after which the Grand Slam tournaments allowed professional players to compete with amateurs in1968. Before the Open Era came into function, players were seen into two different category includes Amateur and Professional tennis players.
Professional players are those who compete in tournaments for cash prizes and standing points. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour and the Association of Touring Professionals (ATP) Tour are the two primary professional circuits for men and women, respectively.
Amateur players are highly skilled, ranking competitors who do not encourage themself in receiving the money to participate. If a player accepts a prize of any kind for winning a competition or free equipment from a sponsor, they risk losing their amateur status.
Players did not gain any penny despite topping the amateur's list which disappointed their financial status. Thus they changed their track to play for money. The main reason for the commencement of the Open Era is because of the economical crisis players and the organizers faced.
The Era where the acceptance of grand slams being played for money came into the act is called the Open Era in tennis.
What type of system was followed before the Open era?
Professional tennis matches were driven by those amateurs who were affiliated with official tennis federations withal strictly with a mandatory rule of not playing in any tournament for payments. Top professionals who were taking tennis as a career were satisfied with their financial status and as a result, they started running for tournaments that will fund and pay for them.
Such professionals were blocked from playing prestigious grand slams. This was the status up until 1968 when the tennis world underwent a transformation and the Open Era began.
When and where did the Open Era begin in tennis?
The open era came into the act on April 1968 at the British Hard Courts, Bournemouth. When the All England Club permitted professional players to compete in the Wimbledon Championships in 1968, The International Tennis Federation, the main tennis governing organization also the other grand slams approved.
Who holds the highest Open Era record?
World no.6, Novak Djokovic is the first player in the Open Era to accomplish multiple Career Grand Slams and the only man in history to hold the reigning titles of all four major tournaments simultaneously on three different surfaces
Was Open Era an advantage to professionals?
Yes, according to the players it is an advantage where it was trustable and safe to put their life into a tennis career. Professionals felt that they could have a safe walk under an umbrella when the Open Era came into existence and also made the sport popular among the people on the planet.
