Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 20 minutes ago
In 2013, as the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Wimbledon boycott loomed, Roger Federer was asked if he could ever foresee a repeat. “It was a completely different circumstance”, he said.
That much is true. But Federer probably didn’t foresee a scenario, either, where the men’s World Number One would be chucked out of a country and several other top players banned to punish their governments.
Both decisions provoked strong criticisms from some quarters in the game, and the All-England Club’s suspension of players from Russia and Belarus has led to the ATP stripping Wimbledon of its status as a ranking event.
But, for all the player power secured by the ATP in the 1970s, there was no talk of a boycott similar to that when Pilic was banned in 1973.
There seems to be no hunger for a fight.
Has player power been subtly eroded over time? Are the pros now so content with their lot that they aren’t willing to risk putting their heads, even collectively, over the parapet?
Or could it be that the leading players – with their own large support teams and commercial concerns – are so much like individual cottage industries that the need for collective bargaining just isn’t there?
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Baseline Tennis adds colour and context to the stories behind the game – both familiar and lesser-known.
Standing apart from the maelstrom of the 24/7 news cycle, Baseline Tennis provides informative, engaging and intelligent content on the past, present and future of the game, focusing on the stories that matter.
Our videos combine 3D imagery, motion graphics, archive footage, graphical illustrations and sound, to create rich and vivid storytelling, bringing the viewer immersive profiles of players, tournaments, key moments from history, the skills of the game and major discussion points.
It's tennis. But viewed differently.
#wimbledon #tennis #grandslam
In 2013, as the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Wimbledon boycott loomed, Roger Federer was asked if he could ever foresee a repeat. “It was a completely different circumstance”, he said.
That much is true. But Federer probably didn’t foresee a scenario, either, where the men’s World Number One would be chucked out of a country and several other top players banned to punish their governments.
Both decisions provoked strong criticisms from some quarters in the game, and the All-England Club’s suspension of players from Russia and Belarus has led to the ATP stripping Wimbledon of its status as a ranking event.
But, for all the player power secured by the ATP in the 1970s, there was no talk of a boycott similar to that when Pilic was banned in 1973.
There seems to be no hunger for a fight.
Has player power been subtly eroded over time? Are the pros now so content with their lot that they aren’t willing to risk putting their heads, even collectively, over the parapet?
Or could it be that the leading players – with their own large support teams and commercial concerns – are so much like individual cottage industries that the need for collective bargaining just isn’t there?
Subscribe: tinyurl.com/BaselineTennis | 🔔Make sure to enable all push notifications!🔔
Watch our most recent videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCj0NjN1EnBmSyGqOq--PJz8S0ReoBYPW
Watch our most popular videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCj0NjN1EnBmSyGqOq--PJz8S0ReoBYPW
Follow Baseline Media on the socials:
Website: https://www.baseline-media.com
Instagram: instagram.com/baselinemedia_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@baselinemedia_
Twitter: twitter.com/BaselineMedia_
About Baseline Tennis:
Baseline Tennis adds colour and context to the stories behind the game – both familiar and lesser-known.
Standing apart from the maelstrom of the 24/7 news cycle, Baseline Tennis provides informative, engaging and intelligent content on the past, present and future of the game, focusing on the stories that matter.
Our videos combine 3D imagery, motion graphics, archive footage, graphical illustrations and sound, to create rich and vivid storytelling, bringing the viewer immersive profiles of players, tournaments, key moments from history, the skills of the game and major discussion points.
It's tennis. But viewed differently.
#wimbledon #tennis #grandslam
