It would be hard for you to come across a hardcore tennis fan not acquainted with the name of Billie Jean King. After all the 74 old year old ex-world number one and the winner of 12 singles Grand Slam Titles should need no introduction, right? However, over the course of time, age appears to be taking a toll on Billie, owing to how her recent talk of reducing the number of sets male tennis players play at Grand Slams, has brought out surprise, resentment and disgust among the lovers of the game.
The reasoning Billie gave to buttress her stance was based upon how she found the large number of sets to be the primary reason for tennis stars getting injured all the time. However, while presenting such an interesting insight, Billie must have forgotten the likes of Roger Federer, who are still fit and entitled to being called the best in the world owing to not only their superior fitness but performance as well.
The more you think about it, the more you realize that Billie’s remarks will give tennis stars nothing more than an excuse to blame their failures and injuries upon. Grand Slam matches have featured five sets for as long as we can remember and the fans would appreciate if the legacy is not trifled with. On top of that, shortening the matches will have implications on the broadcasters as well, owing to how the new rules will have a significant impact on how long the matches last.
Darwin argued for the survival of the fittest, in his theory of natural selection, and this is exactly how it should be in the world of tennis as well. The unfit will succumb to the competition and continue to find petty excuses for their failures while the great ones will rise up to the top as a result of their superior passion and hard work!