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Open Season

Fifty Years Ago, Tennis’ Professional Era Began Inauspiciously on the South Coast of England.

By Simon Cambers

7:14 AM EDT on October 1, 2017

Virginia Wade (left) and Valerie Ziegenfuss before their 4th round match. getty images
Mark Cox (left) and Roy Emerson prior to their quarterfinal match. getty images

Less than 100 miles southwest of London, West Hants Lawn Tennis Club sits in a leafy suburb of Bournemouth, a coastal resort best known for its high proportion of retirees and seven miles of near-perfect sandy beaches. The club, which has 21 courts, including 10 American clay, has been revamped over the years and is now one of six high-performance centers in Britain, a place where many leading juniors dream of becoming a star.