Rosewall. Old school cool.

There are lot's of things that are cool about tennis.  Most of them, we've forgotten.  Believe me, I know.  I've worked with players all over the world, and tennis is big business.  A clothing business...a coaching business... a broadcasting business...a sponsorship business.

Used to be, you'd walked down to the court with your wooden racquet, a slightly flat ball, and hang around to see if anyone would hit with you.  You used to wear all white on the tennis court.  No labels.  No brands.  No distraction.    Just you, and the ball.  Tennis was not a business.  It was a game.

Some played the game better than others.  But it always had the element of simplicity.  It was "play."  There is a special kind of grace and innocence that can go with tennis that comes in the form  of unwritten childhood rules, the kind developed from using your imagination, and hours in the sandbox, or making mud pies, or at stuffed animal tea parties.  It was "tennis etiquette" that made the game simple, yet elegant...dignified.  The crowds were silent.  The etiquette unspoken.  The game, pure.

Dignity came in the form of the pros, like Kenny Rosewall shown here wearing a plain white tennis shirt. Simple. Elegant. Sophisticated. Just like Rosewall himself.

I had the opportunity to play several exhibition matches with Ken as my doubles partner.  Not only is he one of the quickest and most agile players I have ever seen, he couldn't be a finer gentleman off the court.  I played with him frequently when I was a young teaching pro in Scottsdale, AZ.  I taught with him in Hilton Head Island, SC.  Fast forward to the US Open in New York City at the Australian Consulate cocktail reception, and there he stood, walking toward me, hand open with a  smile, saying how delightful to see me again.    Talk about class all the way around.

So you want to know the thing that is most cool about tennis?  It's the people.  Good people.  I can tell you there is NOTHING better than a tennis friend.  Any match promises to be a hard scrabble fight, but shake hands at the net and its off to the pub for a pint and a good laugh.  Leave it all out on the court...no worries mate.  Let's bring that back.  Let's bring back tennis with some class.   Let's find the cool people...and put  racquets in their hands.  Let's find the white shorts...and the white shirts...and see how that top button is buttoned...?  Yeah.  Like that.  That's what I'm talkin' about.