Are Americans Shortsighted?

[norcal]

U.S. coach Patrick McEnroe said tennis at the Olympics would be better for fans, players and TV if the tennis event was modeled on the Davis Cup, with countries’ squads facing each other instead of individual competition. One idea: have two men’s singles matches, two women’s singles matches, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

International Tennis Federation president Francesco Ricci Bitti dismissed the proposal as “only popular in the United States, where people are shortsighted. This is a non-valid option.”

Oh, OK Mr Itsi Bittsy Ricci Euro dork. You are right. Don't change a thing. Have Olympic tennis be the same as any other tournament. Now go paint some spectators on all those empty seats you @ss clown.

[ZhuangCorp]

I definitely think that tennis and table tennis should have a team event. I personally think the team gymnastics event is much more interesting than the invididual events.

The team event would be a great idea.

[Aonex]

Is it possible to have a Davis Cup format within the span of (what is it, 10 days?) the Olympic games? I think it's a great idea... but is it feasible?

[rhubarb]

Without wishing to getting into the shortsightedness debate (perhaps unwise words there), I'd say that this proposal favours teams that can offer several top players of both sexes. There are very few countries on the planet that can do that, so it would give the USA a big advantage. It's not surprising that Pat McEnroe likes that idea.

[The tennis guy]

Well, on the other hand, if you have team tennis events, then you can't have individual events since it is too much to ask for players to play both events becasue tennis players are only here to take a break from professional events to participate in the Olympics.

I don't think it is wise to compare sports with professional events with amateur events, like tennis with gymnastics. The later should get maximum exposure with both team and individual events in the Olympics.

Tennis should follow whatever other racquet sports in the Olympics, either team events or individual events, not both. I happen to think tennis like table tennis, badminton should be individual events in the Olympics which gives smaller nation a chance to win medals. Bigger countries like US will dominate team tennis events.

[Kevin Patrick]

tennis guy & rhubarb, don't buy that the US would be favored in a team competition, they haven't won the Davis Cup since 1995!

The US has one top 20 player, how many does Argentina or Spain have?

It's funny that the ITF president would call this team format proposal 'shortsighted.' everytime the Davis Cup format gets criticized(usually by Americans) the ITF says something like, "no one has a problem with the Davis Cup outside of the US"

[The tennis guy]

More top US players would play Davis Cup if it were held in one or two weeks period. Current Davis Cup format generates more revenue for smaller countries who need the revenue. US doesn't need the money which is why they don't like the current format now.

Anyway, I put US as only one of the example. Countries like Swizerland, India don't have a chance in team competition while they do in individual competition which is one of the reasons there are no team competition in all racquet sports in the Olympics.

[pound cat]

I second that the tennis guy. We have a team of 2 until Nestor retires...then it will be a one-man team (Niemeyer) Canada

[larrhall]

Yes, but Daniel Nestor has a court named after him. You could always turn Knowles Canadian; after all, the Bahamas is pretty flexible, I think. They could play doubles until they're 40 or so, like Rick Leach. Think big...

[VamosRafa]

I like the idea for the reason identified above -- it makes it different than every other tournament. Perhaps the Hopman Cup in Australia could serve as a model.

But then again, the Olympics are every 4 years, so it doesn't become "old." It's a chance to play singles for your country, instead of for yourself.

But I think making it more of a "team" event would make it more interesting, and would stop the whole argument about whether pro tennis belongs in the Olympics. If you make it a team thing, rather than an individual thing it does help.

Certainly some countries would be hindered, if they don't have strong teams. But that happens in Davis/Fed Cup, and we have heard often enough that anything can happen in those events, and they do. When people are playing for their country under those circumstances, it's a different ballgame so to speak. And to do that in the Olympics would make it more of a spectacle in some ways.

I don't really have a strong feeling about it. But I can see the merits in the argument.

[Joe Oldschool]

Frankly, I think team tennis sucks. Tennis is an individual sport. Doubles is the only proper "team format" (IMO), and it's boring to watch.

I think Davis Cup sucks too.

[Mikael]

Srichaphan would be soo scr*wed.

[rhubarb]

Originally Posted by Kevin Patrick

tennis guy & rhubarb, don't buy that the US would be favored in a team competition, they haven't won the Davis Cup since 1995!

The US has one top 20 player, how many does Argentina or Spain have?

It's funny that the ITF president would call this team format proposal 'shortsighted.' everytime the Davis Cup format gets criticized(usually by Americans) the ITF says something like, "no one has a problem with the Davis Cup outside of the US"

It's true that the US haven't won DC for a while, but then top Americans often didn't play it. Yes, I think the rest of the world doesn't have a problem with the current DC format. I only ever hear changes proposed by the US, so same comment is appropriate.

How many top women players do Argentina or Spain have? Only Russia and the USA would be able to field a decent team.