Concerns about players getting taller have been around for quite a long time: e.g. Rohit Brijnath's article in 2000 (https://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/dec/01rohit.htm). We then lived through the greatest era of men's tennis where all the main protagonists were 6ft or taller (Big Three + Murray + Stan + Delpo).
That said, I think it might be the case that if *all* the top men end up well over 6ft the variety in the men's game will become increasingly limited compared to the women's game (which seems to continue to accommodate players of all heights at the top judging by e.g. the winners of the last 20 "Big Titles"). One reason I think this outcome is unlikely in the long term is that the comparative advantage of being the guy with a superhuman return and ability to get everything back on both wings will be extremely high if all the comeptition is playing a "first serve and forehand" game.
Concerns about players getting taller have been around for quite a long time: e.g. Rohit Brijnath's article in 2000 (https://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/dec/01rohit.htm). We then lived through the greatest era of men's tennis where all the main protagonists were 6ft or taller (Big Three + Murray + Stan + Delpo).
That said, I think it might be the case that if *all* the top men end up well over 6ft the variety in the men's game will become increasingly limited compared to the women's game (which seems to continue to accommodate players of all heights at the top judging by e.g. the winners of the last 20 "Big Titles"). One reason I think this outcome is unlikely in the long term is that the comparative advantage of being the guy with a superhuman return and ability to get everything back on both wings will be extremely high if all the comeptition is playing a "first serve and forehand" game.
What is your definition of the trend? Is this a least square regression line?