Former world number one
Billie Jean King has called for a change
of rules in tennis. The 80-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s tennis history, having won numerous big tournaments during her
playing days.
Billie Jean was recently quoted in a report calling for a change of rules in tennis. The California-born legendary tennis player believes that it is hard to attract youngsters to the sport because the point system is confusing. She believes that getting rid of the current point system and turning it to a normal point system of 1, 2, 3, and 4 will help new viewers understand the sport.
She was also of the opinion that players should have a
number on the back of their jersey so that the sport can be promoted on similar lines to football, baseball, and basketball, where every athlete has a name on the back of their shirt with a number so they are easily identifiable by people sitting in the arena and by viewers sitting at home as well.
“I cannot stand the scoring,” she said. “I think it's hard
to get new people into the sport, particularly young people. I think we should
get rid of the 15, 30, 40 game. We should have 1, 2, 3, 4. If you have to win
by two, then at three all do two points in a row or whatever but get rid of 15,
30, 40. Every player should have their name and a number on. Why? We need to
promote our players like every other sport does. You look at basketball, you
look at football, baseball, they have their name and their number. I definitely
want two out of three sets. Or we have to play the same amount, men and the
women. Because we're getting paid by media content, and women always get
shortchanged because of the content.”