Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Order
Agassi has no idea who the greatest across all sports is, he is not involved in the world's most popular sport - soccer/football, nor is he involved in basketball or any other popular sport apart from tennis obviously. He DOES however have knowledge over his own level of play and tennis in general so his opinions regarding tennis have added value to them, whereas his opinions regarding across all other sports is most likely biased towards tennis.
|
True; he feels the only way to support present day tennis is by claiming Federer is "the best," (despite evidence to the contrary) otherwise he believes it suggests tennis is in some sort of slump--a danger to sponsor interest, et al. If he had an honest bone in his skull, he would be able to admit popularity wise, Federer's era is not even a whisper in the scream that was the "tennis boom" which predeated
his own era. As many majors as Federer's won, he's not the exciting part of the popular culture as that "tennis boom" generation, who were known to people who had no interest in pro tennis, and marketed as household names.
The average person (meaning outside of certain tennis fans and sports media) would struggle to name the top male players today.
One cannot simply place a crown on an undeserving head, because he believes that will keep the sport alive.
Strong personalities have to go along with
great games, as that is what entertains audiences.