Commentators and players agree that Wimbledon's All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club deliberately switched to a different type of grass than used historically in order to slow down the game. The reasoning, some say, was to ensure that it would last the two-week dredge of hardcore grinding that players tend to do in the modern game. This, coupled with an addition of heavier tennis balls, has made Wimbledon's grass the second slowest surface of the Grand Slams. Historically, the turf was the fastest and most difficult for which players to adjust their play.

The idea behind all of these changes was to enhance the fan experience, apparently: By slowing down the pace of the game and creating longer, more intense rallies, the sport would appeal to those who weren't already tennis enthusiasts.

What about the tennis purists?

My co-workers at the Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club on Long Island and I believe that this takes away from one of the greatest aspects of the four majors-different play styles. There is no longer the need to adjust your playing style to a serve-and-volley approach. Great baseliners like Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco are having success on the green lawns in recent years whereas in the past, the only players making the final rounds of the tournament were primarily serving and volleying.

The numbers show that since the early 1980s, tennis viewing has decreased dramatically. The last three years have shown a steady, but small increase in viewers. All of these statistics, according to the Nielsen TV Ratings (nielsenmedia.com), prove that tennis isn't the Super Bowl. Why are we taking away from such a pure aspect of the sport when it isn't really making a substantial difference in the long run?