Historians believe the racket sport lay its origin way back in the 12th century in the northern parts of France. Now, tennis has become a global sport that has been evolving slowly and steadily over the last few years. Today we’re going to look at the evolution of tennis which took place almost 29 years ago and has to do with a pair of sisters that changed the trajectory of the sport.

The 69YO American and former coach of Serena and Venus Williams will walk us through that ‘life-changing decision’. Rick Macci recently recalled how the age eligibility rule change in 1995 completely transformed the racket sport. Especially its impact on the older Williams sister.

Venus Williams’ former coach reflects on how the age eligibility rule ‘forced’ them to make a vital decision

The Age Eligibility Rule was introduced in 1995 by WTA as a part of the players’ developmental program. Its main aim was to prevent the rising stars of the tennis world from burning and crashing out from the bigger stages of the game. The rule put a restriction on the number of tournaments each junior player is allowed to play in a year.

During that period several teenage stars rose to fame and then went completely out of sight. They were apparently unable to cope with the sudden success and fame. 29 years later, Rick Macci has something to say on the matter.

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He tweeted, ‘The WTA in 1995 was to change the Age Eligibility Rule and it FORCED us to make a life-changing decision. And, have that little Compton Comet Venus Williams beat the deadline and make that EPIC DEBUT. Eight months later there was 12 Million Reasons it was the right decision.‘

Venus Williams turned pro on October 31, 1994, at the age of 14. This age rule prevents girls aged 13 or younger from competing in professional events, the Fed Cup, and the Olympics. Why? WTA regards professional tennis as having high performance and a high-stakes environment, which may not be suitable for young teenagers.

But the rule change allowed Venus Williams to debut at 14 and change the scope of the game, as Rick Macci pointed out.

The ’12 Million Reasons’ why Macci calls it a ‘right decision’

Venus Williams not only made the headlines by shattering all the records but also managed to secure a staggering endorsement offer just after a year of turning pro. Williams signed a $12M deal with Reebok, her first endorsement contract with 8 figures – remarkable!

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Rick Macci, like the rest of the world, was taken aback at Williams’ brilliant display. Her powerful career ended with 49 titles, including 7 Grand Slam triumphs in singles. Had it not been for the age eligibility rule change, the world would have perhaps seen less of the Compton Comet!

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