그램드슬램, 그랜드슬램 종류, 테니스, Grand Slam, Grand Slam type, tennis

 

 

 

[그랜드 슬램의 역사]

'그랜드 슬램'이라는 용어가 테니스에서 처음 사용된 것은 뉴욕 타임즈의 칼럼니스트 존 키어런(Johm Kieran)이 버드 콜린스(Bud Collins)의 저서 《토탈 테니스 - 테니스 대백과》(Total Tennis, The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia)를 인용하면서부터였다. 1933년에 대한 장에서, 콜린스는 호주의 테니스 선수 잭 크로포드(Jack Crawford)가 호주 오픈, 프랑스 오픈, 윔블던에서 우승한 직후 그가 US 오픈에서도 우승할 수 있을지에 대한 관심이 높아졌던 사실을 언급하였다. 카드 게임의 일종인 콘트랙트 브리지 선수였던 키어런은 이에 대해 "만일 크로포드가 US 오픈에서 우승한다면, 그것은 마치 코트에서 그랜드 슬램 스코어를 획득하는 것과 같을 것이다. 점수는 두 배가 되지만 벌점을 받을 위험도 커진다."라고 표현했다. 천식 환자였던 크로포드는 그해 US 오픈 결승에서 프레드 페리(Fred Perry)를 상대로 첫 두 세트를 따냈지만 이내 더위에 지쳐 내리 세 세트를 내주고 패배하고 말았다.

'그랜드 슬램'이라는 표현은 처음에는 테니스에서 한 해에 네 개의 메이저 대회를 모두 우승하는 것만을 의미하였으나, 이후 골프와 같은 스포츠에서도 주요 대회를 모두 우승하는 것을 가리키는 말로 폭넓게 쓰이게 되었다.

 

 

[호주 오픈]
매년 1월 중순경 호주 멜버른에서 열리는 야외 하드 코트 대회로, 한 해에 걸친 프로 테니스 투어 시즌의 본격적인 시작1학기 개학식에 해당하는 대회라고 할 수 있다. 또한 2018년도 대회에서 정현이 4강에 진출하는 쾌거를 달성하면서 국내 인지도가 높아졌다.

1월의 호주는 폭염이 기승을 부리는 한여름인지라 최상위권 선수들조차 컨디션 조절에 애를 먹기로 유명하다. 선수 보호 차원에서 날씨에 따른 경기 진행 조절 관련 규정이 존재할 정도이며, 이로 인해 탑랭커가 업셋 당하는 경기도 심심찮게 나오는 편이다. 심지어 더위 때문에 쓰러지거나 기권하는 선수도 간혹 나오고는 한다.

다른 그랜드 슬램 대회들에 비해 역사가 짧은데다 상금도 적고, 호주까지의 거리 때문에 이유로 과거에는 선수들이 출전하지 않는 경우도 잦았다. 하지만 최근에는 상금 규모도 많이 커졌으며, 새로운 시즌을 시작하며 당해 테니스계 판도를 읽을 수 있다는 대회라는 점에서 어지간하면 다 참가하는 편이다. 특히 US 오픈 이후로 포인트 관리에 실패한 선수라면 호주 오픈을 비롯한 전후 하드 코트 대회에서 포인트를 쌓고 랭킹 관리를 빡세게 해야 4월부터 시작하는 클레이 시즌이 한결 편해진다.

 

 

[롤랑 가로스]
공식 명칭은 롤랑 가로스(Roland Garros)지만, 프랑스 오픈(French Open)이라고 불리기도 한다. 매년 5월 말~6월 초 프랑스 파리에서 열리는 클레이 코트 대회로, 약 두 달에 걸친 유럽 클레이 코트 시즌의 피날레를 장식하는 1학기 기말고사 격 대회이다. 클레이 코트 특성상 클레이에 강점/약점을 지닌 선수들이 극명하게 갈리는 편이라서 클레이 스페셜리스트 선수들이 강세를 보이는 게 특징이다.

특히 스페인의 前 테니스 선수 라파엘 나달은 이 대회 남자 단식 부문에서 14번이나 우승하며 자타공인 클레이 최강자, 흙신으로 불리고 있다. 결승전 14승 무패, 대회를 통틀어 112승 4패의 경이로운 기록을 보유 중이다. 피트 샘프러스의 경우 이 대회 우승이 없어 커리어 그랜드 슬램을 달성하지 못하기도 했다.

 

 

[윔블던]
매년 6월 말~7월 초 영국 런던의 윔블던에서 열리는 잔디 코트 대회로, 그랜드 슬램 대회 중에서도 최고의 권위와 전통을 자랑하기로 유명하다. 경기에 착용하는 복장은 반드시 흰색으로 통일한다는 엄격한 규정을 고수하고 있다는 점이 특징이다.

잔디 코트 특성상 서브가 강한 선수들이 강세를 보인다. 이는 표면이 미끄럽고 바운드가 낮아서 리턴이 상대적으로 어려운 데다, 대회 중반부터는 선수들이 자주 밟는 베이스 라인 근처에 잔디가 벗겨지고 맨땅이 드러나면서 불규칙 바운드가 발생하기 쉽기 때문이다. 2000년대 들어서는 잔디의 종류를 바꾸고 모래와 물을 뿌리는 등의 조치를 취하면서 서브가 비교적 약한 선수들의 우승도 늘어났다.

한편, 클레이 코트와 잔디 코트의 특성이 180도 다른 터라 막 클레이 시즌을 끝낸 선수들이 잔디 코트 적응에 어려움을 겪고는 한다. 잔디 코트의 경우 마스터스/WTA 1000 대회는 없지만, 윔블던을 앞두고 6월 한달 동안 유럽 각지에서 2회의 ATP/WTA 500 대회를 비롯해 여러 대회가 열리는데, 클레이 시즌에 집중한 선수들은 이 시기 잔디 대회를 건너뛰고, 윔블던마저도 이후 하드 코트 스윙에 앞서 컨디션 점검 겸 밑져야 본전이라는 생각으로 참가하는 경우가 적지 않다. 이러한 점에서 투어의 계절학기 종강 주간이라고 볼 수도 있다.

 

 

[US 오픈]
매년 8월 말~9월 초에 미국 뉴욕에서 열리는 야외 하드 코트 대회이다. 한 해의 마지막 그랜드 슬램 대회이며, 메인 경기장으로 사용되는 아서 애시 스타디움(Arthur Ashe Stadium)은 세계에서 가장 큰 규모의 테니스 전용 경기장이다.

윔블던이 끝나면 시즌의 하반기로 접어들어 7~8월에 걸쳐 북미 지역에서 캐나다 오픈과 신시내티 오픈을 포함해 여러 하드 코트 대회들이 개최되며, 그 마무리를 장식하는 US 오픈이다. 2학기 중간고사 이 시기 북미에서 하드 코트 대회 5개가 연이어 개최되는 것을 USTA(미국 테니스 협회)가 US 오픈 시리즈로 묶어 부르며 홍보하고는 하였으나 2023년을 마지막으로 더이상 공식적으로 사용되지 않는다. 과거에는 이 US 오픈 시리즈에서 높은 포인트를 기록한 선수가 US 오픈에서 상위권의 성적을 내면 추가 상금을 주기도 했다.

US 오픈을 마지막으로 한 해의 그랜드 슬램 대회가 모두 종료되며, 시즌의 약 3/4 지점에 도달했다고 볼 수 있다. 이후로는 아시아 스윙과 유럽 인도어 스윙, 그리고 11월에 열리는 2학기 기말고사 시즌 마지막 대회인 ATP 파이널스가 있다. 시즌 후반으로 접어들수록 체력 문제나 잔부상을 겪는 선수들이 많아지기 때문에 US 오픈 이후 일찍이 다음 시즌 준비 태세에 들어가는 선수들도 있다.

 

 

[The history of Grand Slam]

The term "grand slam" was first used in tennis when New York Times columnist John Kieran quoted Bud Collins' book, "Total Tennis, The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia." In a chapter on 1933, Collins mentioned the fact that interest in Australian tennis player Jack Crawford could also win the U.S. Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon increased shortly after he won the Australian Open, as well. A contract bridge player, Kieran, who was a type of card game, said in response, "If Crawford wins the U.S. Open, it'll be like scoring a Grand Slam score on the court. The score doubles, but the risk of penalty points increases." Crawford, who was an asthmatic, won the first two sets against Fred Perry in the final of the U.S. Open that year, but soon lost three sets after getting tired of the heat.

The term "grand slam" initially meant only winning all four major tournaments in a year in tennis, but has since become widely used in sports such as golf to win all major tournaments.

 

 

 

[Australia open]
It is an outdoor hard court competition held in Melbourne, Australia, around mid-January every year, which corresponds to the opening ceremony of the first semester of the full-fledged start of the year-long professional tennis tour season. In addition, as Chung Hyeon made it to the semifinals in the 2018 tournament, his domestic recognition increased.

Australia in January is hot summer season with scorching heat, so even top-ranked players are famous for having a hard time adjusting their conditions. There are regulations on the adjustment of the progress of games depending on the weather as a part of protecting players, and there are many games where top rankers are upset. Some players even collapse or withdraw due to the heat.

Compared to other Grand Slam competitions, players often did not participate in the past due to the shorter history, less prize money, and the distance to Australia. However, recently, the prize money has grown a lot, and since it is a competition where you can read the game in the tennis world with the start of a new season, everyone participates. In particular, if a player has failed to manage points since the U.S. Open, the clay season, which starts in April, will be more convenient if he or she accumulates points and manages the rankings hard after the hard court competitions, including the Australian Open.



[ Roland Garros ]
Its official name is Roland Garros, but it is also called the French Open. Held every year from late May to early June, the clay court competition is held in Paris, France, and is a final exam competition for the first semester, which marks the finale of the European clay court season, which lasts about two months. Due to the nature of clay courts, players with strengths and weaknesses tend to be clearly divided, so clay specialist players  are strong.

Spain's former tennis player Rafael Nadal, in particular, has won the men's singles 14 times and is called the clay god, the most recognized player in the men's singles. He has 14 wins and no losses in the finals, and 112 wins and 4 losses overall in the competition. In the case of Pete Sampras, he couldn't achieve his career Grand Slam because he didn't win the championship.





[ Wimbledon ]
It is a grass court competition held at Wimbledon in London from late June to early July every year, and is famous for boasting the highest authority and tradition among Grand Slam competitions. It is characterized by adhering to strict regulations that ensure that the clothes worn at games are unified to white.

Due to the nature of grass courts, players with strong serve are strong. This is because return is relatively difficult due to slippery surfaces and low boundaries, and irregular boundaries are likely to occur as grass is peeled off and bare ground is exposed near the base line that players often step on from the middle of the competition. In the 2000s, the number of players with relatively weak serve increased as they changed the type of grass and took measures such as spraying sand and water.

On the other hand, the characteristics of clay courts and grass courts are 180 degrees different, so players who have just finished the clay season have difficulty adapting to grass courts. There are no Masters/WTA 1000 competitions on grass courts, but several competitions are held in Europe during the month of June ahead of Wimbledon, including two ATP/WTA 500 competitions. Players who focus on clay season skip grass competitions during this period, and even Wimbledon participate in the event with the idea that it is only a matter of condition check before the hard court swing. In this regard, it can be seen as the end of the tour's seasonal semester.





[US Open]
Held annually from late August to early September, it is an outdoor hard court competition in New York City, U.S.A. The last Grand Slam tournament of the year, Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest tennis venue in the world.

After Wimbledon, it enters the second half of the season, and several hard court competitions, including the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open, will be held in North America from July to August, and the U.S. Open will conclude. The USTA (American Tennis Association) promoted the five consecutive hard court competitions held in North America during this period as a series of the U.S. Open, but it is no longer officially used in 2023. In the past, players with high points in this U.S. Open series gave additional prize money when they performed at the top of the U.S. Open.

All Grand Slam tournaments of the last year of the U.S. Open will end, and it can be said that about three-quarters of the season has been reached. Since then, there are Asian swings, European Indian swings, and the ATP Finals, the final competition of the second semester in November. As more players suffer from physical problems or minor injuries as they enter the second half of the season, some players are getting ready for the next season early after the U.S. Open.