New Team, New Rules

"Amateur tennis stinks--there's no money in it any more." With this overhead smash, 21-year-old Frank Kovacs, second-ranking tennist in the U.S., turned pro last week. So did 23-year-old Bobby Riggs, U.S. No. 1. For 22 weeks, starting Dec. 26 in Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, Riggs and Kovacs will barnstorm 80 U.S. cities--along with Oldtimers Don Budge and Fred Perry.

Promoter of this year's tour is Yaleman ('36) Alexis Thompson, heir to a $5,000,000 steel fortune. To professional tennis he has brought a sound innovation. In addition to a flat guarantee, each of the four players will be paid according to his performance. The player winning the most matches will get 36% of the players' share of the gate receipts. The second ranking player will get 28%; the third, 21%; the fourth, 15%. "The No. 1 player should earn around $40,000," says Angel Thompson, "the No. 4 player around

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