The History Of The World Team Tennis League

The history of World Team Tennis spans 35-plus years with the involvement of some of the game's best-known personalities. Incorporating male and female players, the league has survived multiple incarnations and included teams from all across the country. The unique format has given fans another way to enjoy the game aside from traditional tournament competition.

Starting Out

Billie Jean King and her husband Larry originated the concept of team tennis in 1962. It would take 12 more years, however, before the league would embark on its first season. The year 1974 saw the inaugural campaign that included teams in sixteen cities ranging from Boston to Honolulu. Among the owners of these first franchises were Jerry Buss -- eventual owner of the Los Angeles Lakers -- and Bob Kraft who would go on to own the New England Patriots.

Format

Bud Collins points out in his book on tennis history that team tennis incorporates a five-set format featuring one set each of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. Rather than determining a winner by the number of sets won, team tennis compiles the total number of games won by each team through the five sets. With at least two men and two women on each team, every player typically plays at least one set per match.

Breakthroughs And Conflicts

The first season of World Team Tennis produced a milestone in sports, according to Worldtennismagazine.com. For the first time, women coached professional teams that included men. The women in question, King of the Philadelphia Freedom and Rosie Casals of the Detroit Loves, also played. The International Tennis Federation, uneasy about competition from the new league, banned players who participated in team tennis from playing in the French Open in 1974. This prevented Jimmy Connors from pursuing a fourth major title that year, having won the other three.

Later Versions And Notable Players

Collins notes that the original league shut down following the 1978 season due to financial losses. A new version arrived on the scene in 1981 with four teams, expanding to eight in 1982. Domino's Pizza joined the league as a sponsor in 1985 and play has been continuous since the 1981 season. Among the more notable players taking part in team tennis over the years are Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and the Williams sisters.