True tennis fans are a dying breed

[Ash Doyle]

I've been reading numerous articles today about the yesterday's final between Ljubicic and Berdych, and I've come to the conclusion that there are very few true tennis fans left.

Almost everyone of the articles I have read this morning made a point of mentioning how it was a match that wasn't going to bring in ticket buyers. One article played it up as a match between two unknowns. Another article called it a fitting end to a tournament who's only notable player participating was Roddick. There were some very talented players in this year's Paris Indoor tournament, and some very good matches were played. The final was between a very talented young gun and a newly made top 10 player who was playing through his second major hot-streak of the year. Most of the articles written about this tournament and it's final portrayed it as very disappointing and struggled to bring in fans due to the stars not showing up.

Are people really this caught up with only being interested in the "stars" of the game, and not just the tennis played? I've followed pro tennis for about sixteen years now, and I've never noticed the attention of the fans and media to be so centered around such a small group of players. Even on these boards, it seems people are more interested in what shoes or attire the stars are wearing than the actual matches. Even the lack of attention the doubles gets seems to be because no "name" players are involved, and the high quality tennis and competition are ignored.

I watch tennis because I love tennis. I love the game. It seems like now, more than ever, people watch because they are fans of the top player's celebrity and not the game itself.

 

[larrhall]

Nope. It's as is it has always been - true fans and casual fans. True fans are the diehards who know the names and tune into every match. Casual fans don't get the Tennis Channel or super-cable, tune in when they feel like it, and follow a few players.

It has always been like this...

And your viewpoint is also influenced by the fact that tennis in the US is always and will always be a marginal sport as far as public interest...

While in many other places it is a big deal and will continue to be so.

 

[spirit]

Did they ever live?

That's always the way its been. Lots and lots of people interested in the tennis stars out of attraction to celebrity, and a minority of hard core tennis playing tennis fans interested in all aspects of the sport because they love it. Welcome to the club.

 

[Fee]

Was that article written by one of the last 4 real tennis writers left on the planet? One of the biggest problems I see with tennis promotion is that so few news organizations will devote one knowledgable writer to covering the sport full time, so we usually get newswire stories that are full of errors, referring to every player outside of the top 5 as an 'unknown.' Very frustrating.

 

[araghava]

I think this is true of almost all individual sports. The only execption is golf. Most sports fans follow team sports. There's something much more natural about supporting your local team as opposed to supporting an individual.

 

[VGP]

I agree with the other posts in saying that there are fans of either the sport, or fans of the players.

As with other sports, there has been and always will be a celebrity factor that draws in viewers and spectators. Just go to any tournament and see how many people are gathered around the practice courts and who happens to be on court at the time. Wherever Agassi, Federer, Nadal is there will be tons of people there. Other players aren't as big a draw. This won't change.

Me, I am less a fan as I used to be. I even spent this weekend digging out old tennis matches I have on tape just for fun. I even enjoy watching people at the local courts hit.

In the US, we've been spoiled. In the tennis boom of the 70's there was Connors, McEnroe, and Evert. Then there was the group of Chang, Courier, Sampras, and Agassi. Then the Williams sisters and Davenport. Now, only Roddick and Agassi are the draws. We've been able to enjoy great tennis players who are great draws as well. We're now in the downside of national representatives.

At least there are some players that transcend nationality and are still exciting to watch. Players such as Federer and Sharapova. I know there are others...

At least we get coverage of several tournaments on major networks and ESPN and even have TTC. Tennis has always been a marginal sport here in the States. You don't have to look any further than the local high schools to understand this. How often is a pep rally held in honor of an up coming tennis match? As to whether true fans are a dying breed, I don't think much has changed over the last 20-30 years.

 

[BankOfDad]

I guess I'm more of a casual fan then I realized. I watched the "highlights" of the match on tv last night and thought "Booooorrrrrriiiiiinnnnnggg"

 

[VGP]

I guess I'm more of a casual fan then I realized. I watched the "highlights" of the match on tv last night and thought "Booooorrrrrriiiiiinnnnnggg"

I know what you mean. That's how I felt watching the highlights of Madrid....

 

[expos8888]

Well cutting major sponsors like Players and Virginia Slims really did not help. Of course it is ok to promote McDonalds and Hardees and Coke which kill you and make you look terrible. Tennis is still popular with the upper middle class, which are the only people not to fat to get out of bed in this country.

But the main reason is because watching the top men play is predicatable and boring. Way to much s and v . Pete was great but changed the sport for ever. Not fan friendly.

You can not compare a good Lendl vs Jounny Mac in terms of energy and strategy to Nadel vs Federer.

Federer strategy " I run for 10 miles a day, hit 1000 balls an hour and I win,,yaaaaa"

Yanik Noahs stratagey " I sleep with 3 strangers, burn 2 doobs and hope for the best"

Little less predictable, you agree.

 

[rhubarb]

But the main reason is because watching the top men play is predicatable and boring. Way to much s and v . Pete was great but changed the sport for ever. Not fan friendly.
...
Federer strategy " I run for 10 miles a day, hit 1000 balls an hour and I win,,yaaaaa"

I don't think you've watched men's tennis for some considerable time...

 

[Matthew]

Eh, most writers are paid to write about what the general public is interested in. As far as tennis goes, the general public is only really interested in American tennis, namely Roddick. If the number one player in the world, the new teen sensation, and the American heart throb aren't playing, then the tournament is a bust. Simple as that.

 

[expos8888]

I don't think you've watched men's tennis for some considerable time...

I like Agassi and Nadel,,about it

 

[Matthew]

That was quite a defense there Expo...

Turn on the TV, there is no serve and volleying happening. I won't even begin to tell you what is wrong with everything else you said.

 

[sunrise]

Nope. It's as is it has always been - true fans and casual fans. True fans are the diehards who know the names and tune into every match. Casual fans don't get the Tennis Channel or super-cable, tune in when they feel like it, and follow a few players.

Not every state in the US can get Tennis Channel even if tennis lovers would like to follow the game. For instance I watch and follow tennis as much as my sattelite company allows it , not very frequently and for that reason I hardly know some of the players because I do not get the opportunity to follow the many tournments

It has always been like this...

And your viewpoint is also influenced by the fact that tennis in the US is always and will always be a marginal sport as far as public interest...

I think that there are more tennis fans in the US lately but the fact that sports TV channels are more interested broadcasting American favorite sports
While in many other places it is a big deal and will continue to be so.

 

[VGP]

I like Agassi and Nadel,,about it

Your preferences are about as narrow as the current state of the men's game.

 

[DashaandSafin]

Casual fans don't get the Tennis Channel .

Not true.
I dont have the Tennis Channel becuase its not available here...stupid cable company..

I dont theink that there was really a plethora of true fans. These days people know a couple of names...Roddick, Serena, Federer, Vanessa Williams (heard that one the other day...). Anyway thats why i come here instead of MTF, where the trolls are worse than the ones we have here. Here *most* people know what they are talking about and very informative. Of course bad relations can rage..but who really cares? Its a internet forum.

 

[janipyt05]

its very true, when the big name fell from the paris masters lots of ppl said it would b boring i didn't think so. I did think they lost a good chunk but it would survive and survive it did. I still woke my ass up at 10am every day to watch tennis the whole day. and really enjoyed it. That riteh most fan are up for who's hot now thing. They really don't know the game and appreciate it. On the other hand a fan is a fan whether they like 1 person or all of them.

The commentators here in london didn't think the final with ivan and berdych would b good but look how good that turned out 2 be, a great match and finally someone apart from nadal and feds gets to hav a party too.

i agree with DashaandSafin on this site giving true fans a place to talk about the sport we know and love so much. mtf is kinda hard to get real conversation going but here they are many people with great opinions that bring up good subjects brought by fans who know the sport better.

This year the sport channels in the london hav taken note that tennis is growing and have shown far much more tennis than ever b4. Both on eurosport 1 and 2 and sky sport 4 and extra. Almost every week there has been a tournement for me to watch both mens and womens. Its really good. I look forward to 06' season

 

[Rabbit]

And your viewpoint is also influenced by the fact that tennis in the US is always and will always be a marginal sport as far as public interest...

Not true. Tennis enjoyed a great viewership and following in the mid to late 70s. The tennis boom of the 70s was sparked by the Match of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. The fall off in tennis viewership coincided with the retirement of McEnroe, Connors, Borg, and Lendl. It has been declining ever since. Tennis enjoyed a greater level of participation than at any time since.

Ergo, the number of hardcore tennis fans probably has dropped off since this time.

IMO, the combination of academy tennis and lack of diversity in style of further contributed to the perception that tennis is boring. Another factor contributing is that the powers that be got what they wished for. They so hated the behavior of McEnroe, Connors, Nastase, and from time to time Lendl, that they made sure the newer generation would not have.......a personality. Now that personality is gone from the game save the occassional roarin' Goran, there is less interest. Now that tennis is nothing more than a big love fest between the players, save the Coria/Hewitt matches, nobody really cares.

From my own experience, starting to watch/play tennis in 1972, I can say that I'm nowhere near the fan I was back then. I also watch and enjoy the tennis channel, but probably watch and enjoy the alternate programming more than the singles that are played. I also very much enjoy the doubles coverage provided by the Tennis Channel.

 

[laurie]

I find myself these days watching more and more women's tennis and less and less men's tennis. I will watch Shanghai if Eurosport shows it.

Less and less men are playing the attacking tennis I like, getting to net etc. Going for winners from the backcourt. Unfortunately players like Dent and Karlovic don't do it well enough. Roddick goes to net but has too many technical deficencies.

Whereas a lot of women play attcking tennis. Just going for their shots no matter what. The likes of Coria and Gaudio play too much of a calculated, low risk game.

One man who is fun to watch is Fernando Gonzales. He goes for his shots. His final with Baghditis in Basel was a lot of fun to watch.

 

[moore than just a gun]

gr8 player gonzo

i want him to do well next year

 

[croatian sensation]

I guess it has always been like that...not many people follow a certain sport because they love the game no matter who is and how is playing. I admire that. Still, I don't think it's a disaster that people mostly follow top players.
But also, I think that people that considered Roddick only famous/true star/good player in Paris aren't tennis fans at all...or very very very casual fans.
Personally I would call myself a casual fan...I follow tennis more than any other sport but we don't have tennis channel here and I get only one sports channel which doesn't follow tennis much. I follow ATP only (OMG I realized that just now...I can't remember the last time I saw a WTA match) and more closly a few players that I like, but I guess that there is a bit of a true tennis fan in me when this summer on Croatia Open I was watching a doubles match (Djokovic/Tipsarevic against some Chezch guys) on court 8 out in the sun at 5 p.m instead of watching the Moya match on central court in the shade