For many reasons, tennis fans are enjoying a golden age. Roger Federer is on the verge of eclipsing some of the game's most prestigious records, while Rafael Nadal - a fantastic player in his own right - has established himself as a formidable rival to the Swiss Goliath.

And there is a slew of young dynamos primed to make for even more intriguing stories on the ATP Tour (Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Richard Gasquet, etc.). It's a good time to be a fan of the game, and as I've said many times before: enjoy this era while it's around, because it won't last forever.

But as much as I tout the spectacle that is today's tennis landscape, I'm not intending to tell you that this is the only era of good feelings. A look back in the tennis annals reveals that there have been a number of stages where the sport was being played at its most compelling level.

'A look back in the tennis annals reveals that there have been a number of stages where the sport was being played at its most compelling level'


Sure, there have been times in tennis history that you could characterise the game as "in a lull" or "in transition", and you wouldn't hear much in the way of resistance. But it's important to remember that tennis is not only Federer, Nadal, et al, rather, the totality of the sport is much deeper than that.

I was most recently reminded of this last night, after watching a 90-minute documentary about Andre Agassi on the Tennis Channel. Agassi: Between the Lines is a chronicle of Andre's storied career that will engage the most ardent supporter of the game, all the way down to the casual fan. The piece features a collection of footage that spans Agassi's livelihood on the court - including the memorable (1999 French Open final), the important (1991 French Open final), and even the obscure (1998 Las Vegas Challenger).

The biography is a well-produced and thorough account of all things Agassi, and I'd highly recommend a viewing (though it's likely only available in the US). Watching this triggered back countless memories of Agassi, but also, of men's tennis in the 1990s, reminding me that there was indeed a reason why I fell in love with this game, before Roger came to town.

In a time where the sports media is enamored with the "now" and "tomorrow" - think about how much of an episode of SportsCenter is dominated by prognosticators - the amount of time devoted to sports history lags behind. There are plenty of sports analysts, but rarely do you see dedicated sports historians. To each their own, I suppose - but there's something to be said about remembering how the game got to where it is today, in addition to the game itself today.

There's more than just Federer and Nadal - there's Agassi and Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall and many, many others. And while some may call today's tennis as the sport's zenith, what is not up for debate is that the sport has been defined by frequent eras of great play. It's worth your while, and you only need to look back to discover this.

What are your recollections of the greats of the past? Post your comments below or submit an article to Sportingo.