Jack Kramer was an iconic American Tennis player who made an even greater impact off the court. He is one of the most influential tennis personalities of all time, and his name is synonymous with innovation in the sport. Kramer was a promotor of the professional circuits and played a key role in eliminating the “shamateurism” that was in place prior to the Open Era. He played a pivotal role in revolutionizing professional tennis, advocating for player rights, and establishing the foundation for the modern ATP Tour. The sport simply would not be the same without Jack Kramer.
“The Game: My 40 Years in Tennis” is Kramer’s memoir. It is one of the most important resources for understanding the history of tennis, as Kramer was a multifaceted catalyst during the sport’s most transformational period. His numerous roles include amateur player, professional player, professional tour promoter, junior tennis official, television commentator, tournament director, player’s union leader, and international tennis council member.
Kramer also had strong opinions and convictions. That gave co-author Frank Deford ample material to craft a thoroughly informative and entertaining read. While some of Kramer’s viewpoints might seem jarring when viewed through a contemporary lens, the thoughts and ideas that underpin them are nevertheless compelling.
As a player who emerged from the West Coast of the United States, Kramer had an obvious preference for the hard court surfaces that are dominant in that region. Why he regarded it as superior to grass or clay was a recurring theme throughout the book. That is in contrast to a contemporary theory sparked by the recent rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannick Sinner that clay court play is an advantage for building the best players in the sport. Kramer was also extremely skeptical that equipment innovation was making any impact during his lifetime.
Kramer pushes back against the prevailing idea that he was biased against women’s tennis in this memoir. However, those protests were inevitably sandwiched between other paragraphs that substantiate in his own words that he was exactly that. He rails against mixed doubles as a waste of time and describes Chris Evert’s game as boring. Kramer also believed that the only winning strategy for women’s tennis was tedious to watch. His most compelling defense is that he was only opposed to women’s tennis from a financial standpoint, as he believed it would never be profitable. He thought the notion of equal prize money was absurd.
“The Game” describes how the professional circuits experimented with variations of innovative rules promoted by Jimmy Van Alen. He chalks up those efforts as people trying to fix tennis as the sport was in financial crisis on both the professional and amateur sides. Kramer builds a reasonable case that the Open Era was finally accepted only because tennis was in crisis and had no other choice.
The Game: My 40 Years in Tennis (<-Sponsored Link)
Not surprisingly, Kramer was a vocal critic of the USLTA due to his involvement with professional tennis during his lifetime. A recurring theme in the book suggests that the organization’s officials were incompetent, greedy, and frequently involved with tennis for the wrong reasons. This perspective is important for anyone who wants to fully understand the history from which the contemporary USTA emerged.
Kramer also raises themes in this book that provide an interesting counter perspective to the ideas underpinning one of the primary objectives of Novak Djokovic’s current PPTA initiative. In 1979, when this book was published, Kramer was concerned about the “greedy” superstars who were garnering most of the money available in the sport. At the same time, he denigrates the journeymen players who were barely scraping by and desired more equitable compensation. Kramer’s opinion in this book is that tennis doesn’t owe anyone a living.
“The Game: My 40 Years in Tennis” is an essential read for anyone passionate about the history and evolution of the sport. Jack Kramer’s memoir offers a firsthand account of a transformative era of tennis, shedding light on his multifaceted contributions and unapologetic viewpoints. Kramer’s narrative not only captures the essence of his playing days but also delves into his pivotal role in establishing and shaping professional tennis. Despite his controversial opinions, Kramer’s insights remain thought-provoking and provide a nuanced perspective on the challenges and complexities tennis players and administrators face in the modern game. This insight is essential for tennis history buffs seeking a deeper understanding of the sport’s progression and the legacy of a true icon.
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