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Tennis Betting: The evolution of the game

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So much has changed in tennis since it went 'open' to professionals as well as amateurs 40 years ago. But even the game played only a decade previously was different to what we see now. Barry Milns takes a walk down memory lane.

For fans too young to remember, a brief look back at television footage from the late 1960's demonstrates how much more sedate the game was back then. Far less power and pace, it was still the era of wooden rackets and predominantly white clothing.

That is not to say the top players were less gifted in those days; far from it. If Rod Laver was playing in his prime now and was able to benefit from all the modern equipment, training and support facilities available to the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (currently trading at [6.4] and [1.57] respectively to win this week's Rome Masters Series) I have no doubt he would be right up there with them because of his innate talent.

In 1968 Laver received £2,000 in prize money for winning the men's singles title at Wimbledon, while women's champion Billie Jean King earned £750. Contrast that to the £750,000 both champions will receive for the fortnight's work at the All England Club this year and you can see how staggering the evolution is!

Like all leading sports, professional tennis is a huge business these days and because of its global appeal the amount of money it attracts through television rights, advertising and sponsorship is astounding. With such riches available the competition to get a piece of the action has never been more fierce.

As in any competitive field having an 'edge' over one's rivals is crucial. So with such revenue in the sport there has not only been massive investment in stadia and training facilities by governing bodies and national federations but also individually by players in terms of the entourages they now employ.

Back in Laver's day travelling with a coach, let alone a fitness trainer, physiotherapist, dietician, sports psychologist, agent etc. was unheard of. It was not until the 1970's, when Bjorn Borg achieved so much under the watchful eye of coach Lennart Bergelin, that such a trend started to develop and players brought a higher level of professionalism to their work.

Another facet of the whole process is a much greater use of computer and video analysis not only to develop one's own game but also to assess those of others, to look for strengths and weaknesses in the constant pursuit of improvement and advantage. The range of statistical information on all facets of the game has never been greater, but thankfully no robot has yet been built that can win a grand slam and the human element remains the vital ingredient.

Looking back there must be times when today's players, under such intense scrutiny, wish they could enjoy the more relaxed approach of their illustrious predecessors, who competed fiercely against each other on court but then shared a few beers together afterwards. But as with evolution in any sphere there is no going back and the level of tennis being played today compared to only a few years ago shows it has never been better.

Sergi Bruguera and Thomas Muster won their French Open titles in the 1990's by grinding almost totally from the back of the court. But while Rafa has done plenty of that himself at Roland Garros over the past three years, his game is so much more entertaining as it combines incredible defence with electrifying attack, his speed and skills around the net as important as what he does from the baseline.

Right now it is hard to think of anyone playing any better on the surface. But 10 years down the road someone will - you can bet on it.