What I would like to see Wimbledon become

[Blocker]

It has always bugged me that tennis does not have an out and out tournament that is seen by all and sundry as THE tournament to win. Just the other day, I was having lunch with a work mate, a big golfing fan, and he could not tell me which golf major was the blue ribbon event. I wouldn't have a clue myself. We then got to talking about the tennis equivalent and when I said it was Wimbledon, he said I was wrong. I might be. I'm sure that if you were to ask the lay person on the street in the USA which tennis event is the world's most important, he/she may just very well say it's the USO because it's...well...American. Most tennis fans in the know will say its Wimbledon but I don't think that's enough, it's always up for debate.

Even on here, I've seen many posters in several threads advocate that the WTF is the most important event because it's only for the YE top 8 and thus apparently the hardest to win. I've even seen some posters advocate the Olympic singles event, purely because it's the Olympics. It's just too much of a grey area for my liking.

Take football (or soccer depending on where you live) on the other hand. The world governing body, FIFA, has gone out of its way to ensure that the World Cup is the single most important trophy in football. Everybody, the players and fans alike, know this. FIFA consented to football being played at the Olympics, but it heavily caveated it by only allowing 3 players per team who are above 21 years of age to compete, thus rendering it a semi-junior event and thus protecting the brand of its own World Cup.

So what I would like to see is this:

* Increase the points for winning Wimbledon to 3000, not quite worth a USO and FO combined (or any 2 of slams combined), but certainly worth more than any of the other slams as a stand alone tournament.

* Increase the prize money, pretty much make it the richest tournament in world tennis.

* Make it the official World Championship of tennis.

* Increase the draw to 256, meaning you have to play an extra round. Make it a 3 week event to accommodate the extra matches to be played.

By doing the above, everyone knows that, in addition to its tradition, Wimbledon is the biggest event, the richest event, contains the biggest draw (you need to win 8 matches to win it), is the longest running tournament and offers the most ranking points. And, if you just happen to win it, not only are you the Wimbledon champion (which already has a nice ring to it), you are the world champion too.

So the tour's hierarchy of tournaments would look something like this:

1) Wimbledon....slam/world championship
2) USO/FO/AO...slam
3) WTF (may as well put the Olympics here as well to keep some people happy but not too fussed where the Olympics is ranked)
4) Masters
5) 500s
6) 250s
7) Everything else

I would also like to see this hierarchy placed on the ATP website so it's official.

Abolish the juniors and doubles events so if you want to be known as Wimbledon champion, you have to win the open singles event, either mens' or womens', depending on your gender.

I'm sure that this would create all sorts of political problems between the ITF and the ATP, but it's what I personally would like to see. The extra prize money would be up to the tournament itself to come up with but I'm sure with the extra prestige would come extra sponsorship and broadcast-right funding.

Who is with me? I don't expect everyone to agree with me, in fact I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I know it's radical but I just think we need to have that one event which is clear cut a head above everything else. At the moment it's too grey and that bugs me.

 

[Phoenix1983]

Winning the Champions League in football may these days be considered more important than winning the World Cup. Hence why many say Messi is the GOAT, when he's never done anything in the World Cup.

 

[sam_p]

What sense does it make to do this with a tournament that is on the least prevalent surface on the tour? Grass makes up 10% of the tour.

Before proposing nonsense like this imagine how you would react if someone proposed the same thing for RG? Or perhaps proposed making Wim a clay court event...

 

[Steve0904]

Wimbledon is the biggest event to win regardless. And the golfing fan you were talking to who couldn't pick a ribbon event for golf is wrong too. The Masters is the biggest event to win in golf. Besides that, you'll never get an undisputed biggest tournament to win even if you made it for more points. Points are superficial. They won't change the history or standing of anything. The AO could be made 3000 points tomorrow and it won't change anything in regards to history or standing. Plus, Europeans will always have a bit of French Open bias. And slams are long enough as it is. We don't need bigger draws.

 

[furryballs]

Wimbledon is the tournament to win.............doesnt matter about the points or the surface or whatever.Wimbledon is IT for a tennis pro.

 

[Bobby Jr]

It has always bugged me that tennis does not have an out and out tournament that is seen by all and sundry as THE tournament to win.

It does. Wimbledon.

Most people who have seen tennis - and I'm not talking experts here - recognise Wimbledon as the event synonymous with tennis greatness.

...he said I was wrong. I might be. I'm sure that if you were to ask the lay person on the street in the USA which tennis event is the world's most important, he/she may just very well say it's the USO..

Pretty much an irrelevant point to the discussion. Trends in biases or ignorance of almost anything can be found anywhere in the world.

So what I would like to see is this:

* Make it the official World Championship of tennis.

It is already, if even unofficially. It's been recognised as such for a century. Even the Wimbledon trophy inscription says "All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World."

 

[PMChambers]

No, and the WTF as an invitational should hold no points, purely bragging rites. Wimbledon has enough prestige as it is. The tennis circuit has professionalised a lot since the 68 and with the exception of the WTF invitational, ATP has gotten it mainly right, though timing on GS events needs to be reviewed. The Olyp should also hold no points as it's not a yearly standard ATP event, it is a prestige only event and historically that has been very low.

 

[furryballs]

No, and the WTF as an invitational should hold no points, purely bragging rites. Wimbledon has enough prestige as it is. The tennis circuit has professionalised a lot since the 68 and with the exception of the WTF invitational, ATP has gotten it mainly right, though timing on GS events needs to be reviewed. The Olyp should also hold no points as it's not a yearly standard ATP event, it is a prestige only event and historically that has been very low.

the WTF is only an invitational if youre in the top 8,thats what makes it special. it's the 5th biggest event on the calender every year. the olympics i agree with.

 

[Backspin1183]

I've always thought of Wimbledon to be the biggest tournament in tennis.

I was surprised when a Swiss friend from Laussane told me if he were a tennis pro he'd want to win the French Open the most.

I guess it depends where you live or come from. In NZ tennis is no match for rugby in popularity but some of us that follow tennis regard Wimbledon the best tennis tournament.

 

[Russeljones]

Isn't Augusta the tournament they all dream of winning? With tennis it has pretty much always been Wimbledon.

 

[reaper]

The rise in prestige of the US Masters golf is quite recent. The tournament only began in 1934. It was plagued for much of its history by the racism of the host club. Up until the late 1980's/ early 1990's all the caddies were black club employees. Blacks and (most likely) Jews couldn't join Augusta golf club. The most prestigious golf tournament until quite recently was the Open Championships (the British Open). The primacy of Wimbledon as the supreme tennis tournament is far more long standing and clear cut than the US Masters golf.

 

[Mainad]

Take it from the pros themselves.

In his book, 'Rafa: My Story', most of it is taken up with a running commentary on his win against Federer at 2008 Wimbledon and how much it meant to him and his family. By contrast, his first RG win in 2005, was mentioned only briefly!

When Djokovic won Wimbledon in 2011, 150,000 people gathered outside the parliament building in Belgrade to see his homecoming and some demanded he be made president!

Wimbledon always seems to have that extra cachet for most players. The few who try to downplay (or even dismiss) it tend to be the ones who...surprise, surprise...can't play on grass! :wink:

 

[SLD76]

I thought Wimbledon was always the biggest tournament because of history and prestige.

Wimbledon is a living embodiment and homage to the tradition of lawn tennis on grass. Would that the grass was faster and still represented attacking tennis, but I digress.

I mean anyone with who isnt just a fanboy/girl knows this.

 

[SLD76]

Take it from the pros themselves.

In his book, 'Rafa: My Story', most of it is taken up with a running commentary on his win against Federer at 2008 Wimbledon and how much it meant to him and his family. By contrast, his first RG win in 2005, was mentioned only briefly!

When Djokovic won Wimbledon in 2011, 150,000 people gathered outside the parliament building in Belgrade to see his homecoming and some demanded he be made president!

Wimbledon always seems to have that extra cachet for most players. The few who try to downplay (or even dismiss) it tend to be the ones who...surprise, surprise...can't play on grass! :wink:

Pretty much this.

In all is his FO wins, Ive never seen Nadal shed tears. Immediately after initially winning Wimbledon, Nadal was sobbing tears of joy on the sideline.


ETA: Murray could never win another title ever in life, but I daresay in Britain he will always be lauded a hero for winning Wimbledon last year.


Also, there is a reason why Jana Novotna cried on the Duchess of Kent's shoulder after she blew the Wimbledon final to Graf.

I bet good money, that Roddick would trade his lone USO win for one Wimbledon, preferably defeating Fed in the final.

Half the reason for Sharapova's fame is for her stunning Wimbledon win over Serena.