Tennis and Socioeconomic Class: The Change in Perception of the Sport

Abstract

From the 12th century to the early 19th century, a game of tennis was the ideal setting where aristocrats could interact. Individuals who were associated with the sport were categorized as well-refined and upper-class. However, with the rise of individualism and free-market consumerism in the mid-1980s associated with Reaganism and Thatcherism, tennis was made more available and attracted the middle class. As such, the entry of players like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe revolutionized the game with their rebellious actions, which transformed the etiquette of fine sportsmanship into a tough, aggressive game filled with tantrums and vulgarities and the determination to win and make money above all else. Through the commercialization of tennis, the public’s perception has changed; tennis is no more “a sport for kings ”, but a sport for all.