1. THE INFLUX OF MONEY: The money leader in ’81 was McEnroe with $991,000, and there were 42 players who pocketed over $100,000. Nadal was the top earner in ’10 with $10.2 million, and there were 20 players above the $1 million mark.
2. THE RISE OF RUSSIAN AND EUROPEAN PLAYERS: 28 of the last 32 players remaining in the ’11 Australian Open draw were Europeans. Earlier this year, for the first time ever the top 10 women players were from 10 different countries.
3. THE DEMISE OF AMERICANS, AUSSIES AND BRITS: There were 39 American men in the top 100 in ’81. Now there are six.
4. OVERSIZED RACKETS: In ’82 Jimmy Connors said, “Oversized rackets are for ‘women, old people and sissies.” Wrong!
5. POWER STRINGS: New Age mega-blends explode the game.
6. DEMISE OF THE SERVE AND VOLLEY: Where have you gone, Pete Sampras?
7. THE RISE OF OPEN STANCE GROUNDIES: This is ain’t your grandfather’s game.
8. THE RISE OF THE TWO-HANDED BACKHAND: Once an oddity, the two-fister now rules. Just ask Chrissie, Andre or Rafa.
9. TALLER PLAYERS: The average height of top 10 men in 1981 was 5-foot-11. Today the top 10 averages 6-foot-1. Still, 6-foot-5 men and 6-foot women seem the norm.
10. UPGRADE OF RETURN OF SERVE: Caution: Charging the net can be hazardous to your health.
11. FITNESS: Wimpy no more! Lendl, Navratilova, Gil Reyes and many others give tennis considerable muscle.
12. HAWK-EYE: A fan-friendly technology tweaked the game. Challenge!
13. THE NEW MEDIA: ESPN, The Tennis Channel and the Internet spread the gospel.
14. END OF CHARACTERS AND RANTS: It isn’t easy to rage against the Hawk-Eye machine.
15. GO FOR THE GOLD: Tennis’ re-entry into the Olympics encourages play around the world, especially in Spain, Russia and China.
16. TENNIS PALACES: Hi-tech tennis arenas, many with retractable roofs, now dot the globe.
17. WITHER TEEN PHENOMS: Do power games and age limitations mean teen phenoms are a thing of the past?
18. DAVIS CUP: Many countries break through. Many fans say, “So what?”
19. MINOR LEAGUE BALL ROCKS: From Midland to Osprey to Aptos to El Paso —the USTA Pro Circuit feeds the game.
20. WE ARE WOMEN HEAR US ROAR: Whether sitting to officiate matches at Wimbledon or sitting in board rooms as President of the USTA, the role of women in the game has exploded.
21. EQUAL PRIZE MONEY: Women finally get their due. The controversy still simmers.
22. THE DEMISE OF THE CLAYMEISTER: The power game, as well as Nadal’s example, has meant dirtballers and surface specialists are largely a thing of the past.
23. SOUND CHECK: Tennis used to be about the sound of silence. Now there’s a cacophony. Guess you just have to “grunt and bear it.”
24. GUARANTEES: It’s guaranteed. Almost all smaller tournaments dole out huge appearance fees that dwarf the prize money.
25. TOURNAMENTS OUTSOURCED: Dubai, Shanghai and Tashkent are the new Philly, Boston and Vegas.
26. ENTOURAGES: Agents, coaches, physios, spiritual advisors, parents, partners, kids and all types of player-lounge lizards crowd the scene. Is this really an individual sport?
27. UPSWING IN COED TOURNAMENTS: Think Miami, Indian Wells, Cincinnati, Rome, Madrid and Canada.
28. COLLEGE TENNIS: No longer a feeder for the pros.
29. AND THE ACADEMY AWARD GOES TO…: Thanks to Floridian Nick Bollettieri, most every tennis teaching center seems to be called an academy.
30. SLAMS SIZZLE: Holy Super Saturday! The U.S. Open morphed into a primetime entertainment juggernaut. Wimbledon may seem stuck in the past, but what other sports event makes so many changes – from new courts to a dazzling new roof — with such seamless ease?
31. A NEW DAY DOWN UNDER: G’day, mate — The friendly Slam, the Australian Open, switches from November to January and becomes a real player in the Slam mix.
32. THE WILLIAMS EFFECT: Bold and beautiful — in the winners circle or in your face — Venus and Serena are the straws that stirred the women’s tennis milkshake.
33. LEAGUE PLAY: Officially introduced by the USTA in ’81, leagues are now popular fixtures. And speaking of league play, Billie Jean King’s quirky and creative World Team tennis league becomes, in its second incarnation, a summer fixture for fan friendly innovations and fun. Noise, please!
34. DOUBLES: Streamlined, ready for primetime and brimming with Bryan Bros.
35. IT’S A WHOLE NEW USTA: The growth and professionalization of the USTA has transformed the game. Player Development, Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, Ten and under — what’s next?
36. ATP: We take the men’s ruling body for granted, but it only came on the scene in ’88, when at the gates of the U.S. Open, the players rebelled.
37. PLAYERS AS BRANDS: Is Image Everything? No way! Then again, Sharapova signed a $70 million Nike contract.
38. WHEELCHAIR TENNIS: Roll on! It’s a whole different game.
39. ORIENT EXPRESS: Asia not only manufactures much of our gear, they host an array of tournaments, including the Olympics, and now boast rising stars. All-the-while, Asian-Americans are the most vibrant segment of the American recreational market.
40. BEST OF 14: Players are ranked on the basis of their best 14 results in the previous 52 weeks.
