Is tennis dying as some have suggested?
Changing . . . yes. Better . . . unquestionably. Growing . . . some. Expensive . . . can but needn't be. But dying, no . . . not here in Utah.Tennis is alive and well. Participation is up, interest seems to be growing, albeit, slowly, and shops say the sell of tennis balls is steady.
Those closest to the game say it's merely changing, mostly for the better. At the top level, among the pros, as Sports Illustrated recently wrote, that may not be the case.
One area used to support the drop was gauging equipment sales. It's off. But, points out Linda Vincent, administrative assistant for the Utah Tennis Association, "Equipment today is better and more expensive. People aren't buying a new racket every year."
SI's article claimed that tennis is dull. Consensus among Utah players is simply that the game is changing and that instead of the long rallies, players today are better at the rapid-fire, serve-and-volley game. Again, better equipment and better players is at the foundation of this change.
Dave Freed, a former national champion and coach of the U.S. Davis Cup team, notes that "you've got serve-and-volley players winning on clay (courts). That was unheard of a few years back." (Slower clay courts were once ruled solely by baseline players.)
"Players are so much better today. I think all the money has attracted the athletes to tennis now. I'd never make it today. I was too slow."
If there are common threads among top junior players, they are: 1. supportive but not medaling parents; 2. a passion for the game.
All those interviewed admit to feeling the pressures of competing and winning, and to trying to balance the game and a life with friends and school.
Shari Smith, one of the state's top 16 players, says she believes it's vital that players play the game for themselves, "and not for their parents or a coach. It will never last and they'll be miserable of they do."
Trevor Ferguson, another of the state's top 16 players, says the pressures juniors feel are often self-imposed. "They want others to know they are good players, and the only way to do that is to beat someone better. And that's okay of you enjoy the game. It's important you start out young, though, and learn to serve and volley. That's where the game's going."
Ian Tomb, one of the top ranked players in the 14s, believes, especially at the top levels, that apathy is mistaken for a more business-like approach to the game.
"I think players today are just not as emotional as a (Jimmy) Connors or a (John) McEnroe. Maybe that's because the level of play is better. Juniors today could kill the top juniors of the '70s." he says.
Another common complaint is that tennis can be costly.
At the highest levels that may be true. But to learn and develop in the game needn't be expensive at all. Almost every city recreation program offers inexpensive summer tennis programs at almost every level. Many of the teachers are themselves among the state's top players.
There's also the Utah Tennis Association's junior programs, which were started back in 1956 by Freed. This past summer there were more than 2,300 junior players involved, said Jan Dowse, executive director of the UTA.
"I think this program is pretty indicative of what's happening here in Utah," she added. "Our figures show that participation in our junior tournaments is up 13 percent over last year, and up 17 percent for the adults."
Yet another program is the National Junior Tennis League, run through the Salt Lake City Parks. This past summer about 1,000 youngsters participated. Cost was only $10 for four weeks or $20 for eight weeks of lessons, use of equipment (rackets and balls) and scheduled competition at all levels.
For the adults, league play is the tennis outlet. Currently, the UTA recognizes seven leagues - USTA League (men and women), Fall Outdoor (men and women), Fall Indoor (women only), Winter Leagues (men and women), USTA Senior League (players 50 and over), and two Mixed Doubles leagues.
It is the leagues, says Kathryn Jones, director of tennis for the city, where the most growth seems to be.
"I'm not seeing as many pick-up matches as I used to. Players today want to be in leagues. They know they'll play at least twice a week with players of similar ability and that they'll meet a lot of new people," she says.
So, is tennis dying? No. At least, not where fun seems to be the objective and improvement a goal of most players. Not here in Utah.