The Grand Slam refers to four major tennis tournaments – Australia Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – each year attracting millions of spectators and drawing massive fandom.
Wimbledon began as one of these tournaments back in 1877. Subsequently, US Open, French and Australian Open tournaments all followed suit between 1881 and 1905.
Origins
Grand Slam tournaments are the pinnacle of tennis, and one of its most sought-after achievements. Boasting some of the sport’s premier players and thousands of spectators each year, these iconic events draw thousands each year and have become global spectacles. These four Grand Slam tournaments – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – have come to be known collectively as “Big Four”, due to their prestige and large crowds that they attract.
Grand Slams are an impressive feat that few players have been able to accomplish; their accomplishment is a tribute to both skill and dedication needed in winning all four tournaments within one calendar year.
First used to describe Jack Crawford’s attempt to win all four events within one calendar year, the term was first coined by writer John Kieran of The New York Times as part of his analogy between bridge and tennis.
Up until recently, there were only four major international tennis tournaments each year. But with the US Open having changed surfaces to hard courts in 1978 and Australian Open having switched surfaces in 1988 – these changes mean there are now five Grand Slam tournaments each year!
Even with their differences, all Grand Slam tournaments share one core principle. The winner of a tournament earns the most points and receives the largest prize money award; additionally, winning a Grand Slam brings significant media attention and public recognition – another reason many professional players want to capture one even if that means losing other events along the way.
Term
The four Grand Slam tournaments represent the pinnacle of sport and boast a long, distinguished history. While each has its own traditions and identity, all four share certain commonalities such as their significance to tennis players’ careers and shared governance structures which foster stronger partnerships between tournaments while safeguarding heritage of tennis.
A Grand Slam in tennis refers to an achievement wherein a player must win all four major international tournaments–Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open–in one calendar year – this feat being impossible but considered among one of the greatest achievements ever in tennis. Although initially used by journalist John Kieran to describe Jack Crawford’s attempt that year to complete all four feats (he won three out of four tournaments before falling short against Fred Perry at US Championships final), its usage came into use more generally during 1933 with journalist John Kieran coining its current usage that year as part of its first application to referent efforts by journalist John Kieran to describe Jack Crawford’s attempt that year to describe Jack Crawford failing in his attempt.
Subsequently, “Grand Slam” came to encompass all four tournaments and their achievement in two consecutive years – an accomplishment known as Channel Slam after English Channel that divides venues separating venues; only few players have managed this difficult goal in tennis history.
Prior to 1968, all four Grand Slam tournaments were amateur events due to tennis’ country club roots and belief that competing for money was distasteful. 1968 marked a turning point in tennis as it began transitioning from amateur tournaments into professional sport competition. A year later saw the formation of the Association of Tennis Professionals to represent tennis professionals’ interests.
Rules
Grand Slam tournaments are four of the four premier events on any professional tennis player’s calendar each year, steeped in tradition and history and drawing thousands of spectators each time around. They serve as a major source of revenue for tennis betting online; since 1877 when Wimbledon’s Championships kicked off as the inaugural Grand Slam event, tennis betting online has experienced incredible growth both in terms of revenue generated as well as in popularity and prestige.
Today’s Grand Slam tournaments include the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open – four prestigious tennis tournaments that provide singles players or doubles teams the opportunity to become Grand Slam champions if they win all four events within one calendar year. These tournaments are widely regarded as among the biggest and most important in sport with generous prize pools, ranking points, media coverage and high prize money awards available for competing.
Prior to 1968, Grand Slam tournaments were amateur events; only amateur players could compete. This was due to its country club roots of tennis as it represented an idea that playing sports for money was uncouth. Therefore, most professionals during that era instead participated in exhibition tours together or played exhibitions instead of competing.
Since 1968 and the advent of Open Era tournaments, Grand Slam tournaments have permitted professional players to compete alongside amateurs in Grand Slam tournaments. Don Budge became the first player ever to complete a calendar Grand Slam, winning French Open and Wimbledon as well as US National Championships and Australian Open titles in one calendar year in 1938 and 1942 respectively. Only Steffi Graf and Rod Laver have since replicated his achievement of this feat – one being Steffi Graf in 1988 while Rod Laver was victorious both times!
Formats
Grand Slam tournaments have evolved through the years, while their prestige and excitement remain consistent. Attracting both players and fans alike, Grand Slam tournaments remain a huge draw – both players and spectators alike; winning one has long been the goal of every tennis player, and today’s players seek them out with great effort as each title could potentially be worth upwards of two million euros!
At first, there were four major international tennis tournaments annually known as Grand Slams – named so in order to nod towards bridge’s terminology whereby winning all four major events constitutes a grand slam – such as Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. These four Grand Slam tournaments continue today: Australian Open, French Open Wimbledon and US Open
Calendar Grand Slams are highly challenging to attain; to win one within one calendar year requires winning all four events and remaining unbeaten through to December in order to claim it. Only Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court have ever achieved such an achievement in tennis’ history – both Maureen Connolly in 1979 and Margaret Court in 1981 were successful at accomplishing it. Winning such an achievement marks both career milestones as well as being important milestones in terms of game’s development as it marked the first time any woman won all four major titles within one calendar year!
Recent attempts by players to win a calendar Grand Slam have mostly come in men’s doubles; one man, John Fitzgerald, even managed to claim one such event in 1977!
Matches
Grand Slam tournaments provide incredible entertainment to tennis fans. To compete at such tournaments successfully and secure victory, players must put forth all their physical and mental effort, making these events year after year highly anticipated by audiences around the globe. Fans are drawn in by this spectacle!
Grand Slam tournaments provide not only top-class matches, but also unique formats and styles of play – ideal for anyone wanting to explore tennis from an alternative angle.
Though the four Grand Slam tournaments are steeped in tradition and rich with history, they have undergone drastic change over time. Most recently, ATP has been considering restructuring them significantly to bring new partners and create an entirely different structure – something fans should welcome with open arms!
Grand Slam tournaments are among the highest-level tennis competitions, held across different locations around the globe and an event not to be missed for any fan of tennis. Although sometimes less exciting to watch, they still provide great spectacle for spectators.
Tennis players have accomplished the grand slam if they win all four major championships within a calendar year – an achievement only six players have managed throughout its history!
The four major tournaments are the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. John Kieran first used the term “Grand Slam” to describe Jack Crawford’s attempt that year at winning all four titles – likening it to bidding on bridge.