This volume serves as a comprehensive reference work documenting the history, technical evolution, and professional landscape of tennis up to the late 1990s. John H. Barrett, a recognized authority in tennis journalism and record-keeping, compiles extensive data to provide a definitive overview of the sport. The text utilizes a structured approach to categorize historical milestones, player statistics, and the development of the game's governing bodies.

The subject matter points to a dense, specialist text intended for researchers, historians, and dedicated enthusiasts of the sport. Its reliance on archival data and photographic evidence suggests a focus on factual accuracy and historical preservation rather than narrative prose.