LONDON 2012 SPORTS GUIDE: TENNIS

By Jack Travers, Sportsbeat

A POPULAR topic of debate is which sports deserve to be on the Olympic programme. One argument is that a sport should to be part of the Olympics if winning that gold is the ultimate prize. This does have mileage in many quarters and is why some critics think tennis should not be on the agenda as all of the world's top players would rather win a grand slam than claim a gold medal as it is the slams where their career is defined. 

IN THE RED: Spain's Rafael Nadal pictured en route to Olympic tennis gold at Beijing 2008 (Reuters)

However, if you ask the defending Olympic champion Rafael Nadal how important competing at the Olympics was to him in Beijing then that argument may get blown out of the water. 

Another reason why tennis is such a valuable member of the Olympic sporting fraternity is that some of the biggest names at the Olympics are the tennis stars. Roger Federer had to stop eating meals in the athletes' restaurant in Athens in 2004 as so many fellow athletes were asking for his autograph that he had no time to eat.

Add these star attractions to the venue and you have a winning combination that is sure to be one of the many highlights of the London games.

Wimbledon is where these players will lock horns, not only the most iconic venue in tennis but one of the most famous sporting arenas in the world - and they won't have to wear all white.

Tennis was one of the original Olympic sports in 1896 but was dropped after the 1924 Paris games due to the encroachment of professionalism. It returned in Seoul in 1988 as the IOC increasingly opened its arms to paid sportsmen and women. Since then gold has been won by tennis immortals such as Steffi Graf (Seoul), Andre Agassi (Atlanta) and Nadal (Beijing).

The fact that Roger Federer has said that Olympic singles gold is his one remaining target in the game adds even more spice to a great event. 

Key facts

When? 28 July - August 5

Where? Wimbledon, SW19 

How much? £20 to £225

Disciplines/ Categories

Men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles (which is making its Olympic debut)

Available medals

Gold, silver and bronze for each discipline totalling five golds. The defeated semi-finalists get a bronze medal each. 

Rules / aim

It is a straight knockout tournament going all the way to the final so the winners of the semis will face off in the finals. A draw is made before the games. 

All of the matches are best of three sets. The exceptions are the men's final which is best of five sets and the mixed doubles matches which will be settled by a first-to-ten tie-break if the match is level at one set all. 

Medal leaders

Our very own GB have won more medals than any other country (44) although the USA have 17 golds to GB's 16. Unfortunately for those among you who are anticipating medals galore for our struggling pros, 39 of those 44 medals and 15 of the 16 golds came between 1896-1924 - suddenly not such a hot trot! 

As many would expect, the USA have won more medals (17) and more golds (10) than anyone since the reintroduction of tennis in 1988. That dominance could be set to end though with only four men and two women in the world's top 50 from across the pond. 

And remember Tim Henman never reached a Grand Slam final but he won Olympic doubles silver with Neil Broad in 1996.

DISAPPOINTED: Andy Murray endured a disappointing Olympics in Beijing - admitting he got his preparation wrong (Getty Images)

Team GB Olympic hopes

With only Andy Murray worthy of eating at tennis's top table from these shores all our hopes will be pinned on him. No pressure then, but he should be used to it by now shouldn't he? 

Wimbledon itself is only three weeks before the Olympics so if our favourite Scot does manage to break his grand slam duck on the lawns of SW19 then he will be one of the favourites to add Olympic gold to the list, just as Rafa Nadal did in Beijing.

Our women are improving as well and a mixed doubles 'marriage' between Murray and rising star Laura Robson - following their Hopman Cup performance two years ago - has been mooted.

The hardest part is.

The travel. Many world class tennis players struggle with the day-to-day itinerary of being on the pro tour where each tournament is a flight away at least. The constant living out of a bag in hotels must be difficult, especially for those with a family. 

On the other hand, they do get to compete in the world's greatest cities, get treated like royalty wherever they go and the pay isn't bad either. 

The transition from playing for yourself to playing for your country is one some struggle with while it galvanises others to play with a passion rarely seen on the regular tour. 

The good, the bad and the ugly 

The 2008 men's doubles semi-final between veteran Swedes Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson and the French pair of Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra lasted a record 59 games with the Scandinavians eventually emerging victorious.

They went on to lose to Switzerland's Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka in the final but all four men thrilled the crowd for four and three quarter hours in the longest best-of-three sets match ever seen at the Olympics. 

As many players do not see Olympic gold as their ultimate achievement, the odd one or two don't compete as the tournament tends to fall slap bang in between Wimbledon and the US Open. Andy Roddick was one such man in 2008. The normally lovable American dropped out to prepare for Flushing Meadows. Let's hope nobody does the same for London. 

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics James Blake accused eventual runner-up, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, of ungentlemanly conduct after Gonzalez refused to own up to a ball flicking his racquet before it was called long. In a press conference the American Blake spoke about the values of the game and the importance of the Olympic spirit, which must have left Gonzalez feeling a tad guilty. 

Did you know?

Wimbledon hosted the tennis at the 1908 London games and all six gold medals (men's and women's singles and doubles - held both 'indoor' and 'outdoor') were won by Great Britain.

Mention ...

Smash - an overhead shot which normally wins a point if played well

Lob - sneaking a ball over your opponent's head and inside the base line. 

Love, fifteen, thirty, forty and game - the unique points scoring system used in the sport. 

Do not mention ...

I can't wait for the US Open.

If it were a London landmark, tennis would be …

The O2 Arena. where the end of year ATP Tour Finals are held. 

If you like this, watch:

Badminton - similar in that it involves either two or four players, a net and funny court markings. 

Want to give it a go?

The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) runs many schemes and events to entice new players into the game. Considering the lack of tip-top players in Britain today, fresh blood is just what is needed if Andy Murray is to get some company in the higher echelons of the game. Head down to the local public courts to try your hand too. 

Links

Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) - www.lta.org.uk

Association of Tennis Professionals - www.atpworldtour.com

Women's Tennis Association - www.wtatennis.com

London 2012 Tennis - www.london2012.com/games/olympic-sports/tennis.php

© Sportsbeat 2011