Major Professional Tennis Tournaments Before The Open Era
Before the beginning of the Open era in April 1968, only amateurs were allowed to compete in established tennis tournaments, including the four Grand Slams. There was no prize money and players were compensated for travel expenses only. This changed with the advent of the Open era. However many top tennis players turned professional to play legally for prize money in the years before the open era. They played in separate professional events, mostly on tours involving head-to-head competition, but also in professional tournaments as the biggest events on the pro tour.
Read more about Major Professional Tennis Tournaments Before The Open Era: Professional Majors, List of Professional Grand Slam Champions, Other Important Tournaments
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