上世纪70年代，当不同的巡回赛纷纷签走世界级选手，将
他们隔离开时，网球的发展遇到了波折。幸亏有世界各地广泛
的电视评级来支撑，这个问题很快得到解决。在国际职业网球
联合会（ATP）建立一个统一战线前，世界顶级选手们相互竞技
的时间已经远不止15年。
足球之外，没有任何一项运动得到如此的推广。非洲大陆
（南非除外）还没有一个较强的网球文化，但它在世界其它地
区都引起了强烈兴趣。每周，世界各地都会举行网球赛，这其
中，四项大满贯赛事是所有网球选手角逐最激烈的比赛。
四项大满贯赛事分别在英国、美国、法国和澳大利亚举
行，它们源自这些国家的公开冠军赛。一流的网球选手常常
以他们赢得的大满贯赛事头衔数目来一比高下。
Thegamemet turbulence in the1970swhencompeting tours
signedworld-classplayersandcontracted them todifferent leagues
orcompetitions.Thankfullythegamewasbuoyedbyhugeworldwide
televisionratingssothisproblemwassoondealtwith.Bythetimethe
ATPestablishedaunitedfront,thebest intheworldhadalreadybeen
competingagainsteachother forwellover15years.
Apart from football there is no other game that is enjoyed
quite as much as tennis. Outside South Africa, the African
continent doesn’t havea strong tennis culturebut thegame still
enjoys strong interest andparticipation nearly everywhere else.
Thereare tennis tournamentsheldall over theworldeveryweek
but the four grand slam tournaments are the ones every player
dreamsofwinning.
The fourgrandslam tournamentsareheld inEngland, theUS,
FranceandAustraliaandtheyoriginated fromthesecountry’sopen
championships.Great tennisplayersareusuallycompared toeach
otherbyhowmanygrandslam titles theyhavewon.
温布顿
它在伦敦举行，是唯一一个仍在草地上举行的大满贯赛
事。这是网球的绝对巅峰，人人都觊觎的宝座。它有着无法超
越的历史意义和重要性。选手们必须身穿白衣，比赛的入场券
是城中最抢手的宝贝。从皇室喝香槟、吃草莓，到观众彬彬有
礼的鼓掌，温布顿仍然是这项运动的精神家园。
Wimbledon
Held in London, this is the only grand slam
tournament stillplayedongrass.Theabsolutepinnacleof
tennis, everyonewants towinWimbledon as its history
and importance to the sport is unrivalled. The players
must wear white and tickets to the tournament are the
hottest items in town. From the royalty sipping champagne
and eating strawberries to the polite clapping of the crowd
Wimbledon remains thecivilisedand iconichomeof thegame.
美网公开赛
美网被认为是第二大网球公开赛，但它的风格却与温布顿
截然相反。当球员们身披赞助商五颜六色的球服在球场上挥汗如
雨时，取代斯文鼓掌的是狂吼嘶喊，取代香槟草莓的是热狗和啤
酒。比赛场地在纽约的法拉盛公园。球场是与网球本身一样无情
的硬地表面，它比草皮慢，但比红土快。这绝不是给温文尔雅的
球迷准备的比赛。
USOpen
Considered the secondbiggest tournament of them all and
it is thepolar opposite toWimbledon. Fans screamandyell as the
player’s scramble around the court deckedout in their sponsor’s
colourful clothing. As they sweat and grunt their way through
the tournament the fans chomp on hot dogs and chug beer in
preference to the strawberries and champagne of Wimbledon.
The harddeco turf surface is as tough and as unforgiving as the
tennis. The surface is slower than grass but faster than clay. The
tournament’s home is at FlushingMeadows, NewYork and this is
nota tournament for themild-mannered.
70
网球：不起眼的开始
TENNIS: FROMAHUMBLEBEGINNING
第十期
2011
年
5
月
/6
月
|
ISSUENO.10MAY/JUN2011
