A Look Back at the Open Era in Tennis

The Open Era in tennis dawned on April 22, 1968, when the British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth, England, became the first tournament to allow professional and amateur players to compete together, ending decades of division in the sport, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

This pivotal shift, approved by the ITF’s predecessor, the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF), in a unanimous vote just weeks earlier, opened Grand Slam events to professionals who had been barred since the 1920s, ushering in an age of commercialization, higher prize money and global superstars that has defined modern tennis, as detailed in ATP Tour records.

Key points in the Open Era’s history include the formation of player associations, the introduction of rankings and technological innovations that enhanced the game’s accessibility and fairness.

The mechanism behind the Open Era stemmed from growing frustration with “shamateurism,” where amateurs received under-the-table payments while professionals were excluded from prestige events like the Grand Slams, per Britannica’s account of tennis history.

Failed ILTF votes in 1960, 1964 and 1967 to allow open competition prompted the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to defy the governing body in December 1967, voting 295-5 to abolish distinctions between amateurs and professionals in its tournaments.

This bold move, coupled with the rise of professional tours like World Championship Tennis, forced an emergency ILTF meeting on March 30, 1968, in Paris, where 47 nations approved 12 open tournaments across eight countries, categorizing players to facilitate the transition.

A reality check reveals that while the Open Era is often romanticized as an immediate equalizer, early events showed amateurs could compete: British amateur Mark Cox became the first to defeat a professional, beating Pancho Gonzales and then Roy Emerson at Bournemouth before losing to Rod Laver in the semifinals.

Common misconceptions overlook the ongoing political battles post-1968, including player boycotts and lawsuits that shaped governance.

Example: The First Open Tournament

At the 1968 British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth, Ken Rosewall defeated Rod Laver in the men’s final, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-3, claiming £1,000 (equivalent to about £16,500 in 2018 values, per ATP estimates from that era), while Virginia Wade won the women’s title but declined prize money to retain amateur status. The event drew 23,000 spectators, a 20-year high, and generated a surplus of £3,192, proving open tennis’s viability.

The first match featured Owen Davidson beating John Clifton 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6, watched by about 100 fans amid rain delays.

What has changed over time includes the establishment of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in 1972 and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973, which empowered players and led to unified tours; the introduction of ATP rankings in 1973; and rules like the tiebreak in 1970 and yellow balls in 1972 for better visibility.

Prize money has escalated dramatically—Wimbledon’s 1968 total purse was £26,150, while modern majors offer tens of millions—and the sport has expanded globally, with tennis returning to the Olympics in 1988 and innovations like electronic line-calling in 2006.

Details such as prize distribution and tournament formats vary by event and year, reflecting ongoing governance by the ITF, ATP and WTA. This timeline highlights pivotal moments that shaped professional tennis since 1968.

Key Milestones in the Open Era of Tennis, as of 2026 (dates and events sourced from ITF and ATP records).