By: Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 8/2/24 – Once upon a time the game of tennis was played more for fun and achievement. With time came change and in the 1950’s and 60’s, we witnessed players like Rod Laver and Roy Emerson engaged in epic battles and competing for tournament victories to achieve men’s Grand Slam titles, as did Maria Bueno and Margaret Smith Court on the women’s side of the game. They did it mainly for the thrill of victory, the trophy, the small cash honorarium, and the right to call themselves champions.
In the late 60’s and 1970’s, an influx of talented young players brought a higher level of skill and competition to the game that spurred two significant advancements – a growing public interest and larger tournament purses.
A ”Golden Age of Tennis” was born, and it anointed the absolute best as its deities. Billie Jean King, Bjorn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Arthur Ashe, Chris Evert and John McEnroe came to dominate the game that originated 900 years ago in the monastic cloisters of Northern France.
It wasn’t that these players were just accomplished athletes that made them influential figures. Each of these players helped the sport grow and improve by working for changes that have made the game of tennis what it is today.
A three-part series entitled “Gods of Tennis” is airing on PBS. Examined through the lens of the world-famous Wimbledon Tournament and featuring archival footage from some of their greatest matches plus exclusive new interviews, the series explores how these iconic players not only revolutionized the game of tennis but dared to challenge the establishment and fight for social change.
Director Simon Draper discussed with The Hollywood Times about the first episode of this amazing look back at that Golden Age. Episode 1: “Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe” looks at two unapologetic mavericks who fought to bring equality in different forms to the game – equal prize money for the women and racial parity for all players.
“I think Billie never shook off the ‘troublemaker’ image with which she was labeled when she first arrived on the scene,” Draper said, referring to how King was perceived early in her career. “Much of the archive is of her ‘spouting’ off to umpires or the crowd – she was the original rebel, and that’s something I never really appreciated before we made the series.”
As America was grappling with its own social changes, Ashe crusaded for racial equality in the sport. In a sport where the wardrobe was white, so too were most of its players. Except for Ashe, the first Black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team, and the only Black man ever to win Singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.
“Arthur similarly was on the margins, but unlike Billie, was a reluctant leader and continues to be seen as such, which I feel undermines his achievements, Draper said. “He was no Jesse Jackson, but his legacy was always likely to have a different gloss, as he was trying to win titles at a time when the civil rights movement was transforming race relations in America.”
Notably missing for the series is Jimmy Connors, winner of eight Grand Slam titles. Connors held the Association of Tennis Professionals No. 1 ranking for a then-record 160 consecutive weeks from 1974 to 1977 and a career total of 268 weeks.
Draper said that efforts were made to include Connors, but in the end, Connors chose not to participate. “I was gutted Jimmy decided not to take part,” Draper said, explaining he’d spoken with Connors’ manager and had even gotten a text from Jimmy himself. “Ultimately it came to nothing. John Lloyd told me Jimmy rarely gives interviews and despite my best efforts it wasn’t to be. It’s a shame as he had a lot to offer and was fully deserving of his place as one of the Gods.”
Episode 1 Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe 7/23/24
Episode 2 Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe 7/30/24
Episode 3 Opposites 8/6/24
