9 Tennis Players make the ESPN World Fame 100 for 2019

clout · Mar 15, 2019

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/26113613/espn-world-fame-100-2019

In order:
Roger Federer (6th)
Rafael Nadal (8th)
Serena Williams (17th)
Novak Djokovic (20th)
Kei Nishikori (28th)
Maria Sharapova (37th)
Stan Wawrinka (69th)
Andy Murray (75th)
Sania Mirza (93th)

Only 2 athletes in the top 10 are players in the North American big four leagues which proves as further evidence to the Yanks that there's more to the world of sports than just the States lol. Also, having the likes of Nishikori and Mirza on this list shows that if there was ever a tennis ATG from an Asian country, the coverage about them would be insane

Per Sports:
Football - 37 players
Basketball - 16 players
Cricket - 11 players
Tennis - 9 players
MMA/Boxing - 8 players
American Football - 8 players
Golf - 4 players

Third Serve · Mar 15, 2019

Djokovic really deserved better than 20th imo

tennisaddict · Mar 15, 2019

How does Sania Mirza rank 93rd ? I thought she has not played for over an year and she is an exclusive doubles player for long.

True Fanerer · Mar 15, 2019

4 Americans in the top 11

TripleATeam · Mar 15, 2019

Andy Murray is below Wawrinka? What fresh hell is this?

Tshooter · Mar 15, 2019

Golf is not a sport so the entire exercise is ridiculous. Neither is punching someone in the head or kicking them with your foot. I won't pretend to know what cricket is all about but I know it was connected to the British Empire which is very over. Football should not be celebrated in any manner -- it's a factory for head injury. The other kind of football (soccer) is too boring to comment further. That leaves an additional 91 slots for tennis. A sport for Ladies and Gentlemen.

I know, I ignored basketball.

Aussie Darcy · Mar 15, 2019

What is this list based off? Endorsements? Social media followings? I just can’t understand why Sharapova and Mirza are on the list over Osaka who won a slam in 2018 and definitely had media coverage behind her. I understand Serena being there considering the coverage and popularity she brings but Mirza didn’t play in 2018

clout · Mar 15, 2019

Third Serve said:
Djokovic really deserved better than 20th imo

Well it is ESPN so it’s inevitable that there will be at least a bit of American bias in there

Third Serve · Mar 15, 2019

clout said:
Well it is ESPN so it’s inevitable that there will be at least a bit of American bias in there

Yeah, but I'd at least expect him to be a bit closer to Federer and Nadal

Towny · Mar 15, 2019

Seems about right to me. It's nice to see tennis has 2 in the top 10 and 4 in the top 20 (not that this list has any actual significance, of course)

FRV · Mar 15, 2019

Edit: Disregard, said I wouldn't post on GPPD anymore.

MeatTornado · Mar 15, 2019

The biggest travesty is Mike Trout not even cracking the top 100. I know the guy doesn't care about being famous, but it's a real shame because pound for pound, he might be the best athlete on the planet these days.

Deon Sanders · Mar 15, 2019

Big 1 flexes those muscles again

Service Ace · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
Andy Murray is below Wawrinka? What fresh hell is this?

Accurate. Wawrinka is more popular and respected stateside than the overrated pusher.

Deon Sanders · Mar 15, 2019

Service Ace said:
Accurate. Wawrinka is more popular and respected stateside than the overrated pusher.

Considering the athletic prowess of the United Kingdom they should simply be happy anyone made the list at all

RaulRamirez · Mar 15, 2019

Towny said:
Seems about right to me. It's nice to see tennis has 2 in the top 10 and 4 in the top 20 (not that this list has any actual significance, of course)

Agreed that tennis was fairly well-represented, and that it's hard to tell exactly how they measured it. Some combination of recognizability, endorsements and social media presence.
As an NBA fan, it doesn't seem that Carmelo Anthony (on the list) is even close to relevant now - as a player (I don't even think anyone picked him up after he was cut) or in endorsements. MLB had only one player - Bryce Harper and at the bottom. I won't take it too seriously.

TripleATeam · Mar 15, 2019

Service Ace said:
Accurate. Wawrinka is more popular and respected stateside than the overrated pusher.

Yeah, sure, but Murray is Big 4. Wawrinka was practically unknown until 2014, whereas Murray jumped onto the scene 7 years before that and always seemed to get mentioned when the Big 3 were.

Djokovic2015 · Mar 15, 2019

Third Serve said:
Yeah, but I'd at least expect him to be a bit closer to Federer and Nadal

Djokovic dropped a lot this year for some reason. Maybe less endorsements in 2018 after his subpar 2017 season?

The big 3 rankings in the 2017 list were
#4 Federer
#9 Nadal
#12 Djokovic

The big 3 rankings in the 2018 list were
#5 Federer
#8 Nadal
#13 Djokovic

The top 3 have always been Ronaldo/LeBron/Messi in that order all 3 years. Fed was 4th in 2017, but then passed by Neymar in 2018.

From 2018 to 2019:
Fed was surpassed by McGregor to drop from 5th to 6th.
Nadal passed up Tiger and Durant, but was surpassed by McGregor and Kohli, and so stayed 8th.
Djokovic passed up Mickelson, but was surpassed by Pogba, Dhoni, Mbappe, Nurmagomedov, Griezmann, Singh, Ozil, and McGregor, and so dropped from 13th to 20th.

True Fanerer · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
Yeah, sure, but Murray is Big 4. Wawrinka was practically unknown until 2014, whereas Murray jumped onto the scene 7 years before that and always seemed to get mentioned when the Big 3 were.

From my experience, more people know Murray than Wawrinka.

TripleATeam · Mar 15, 2019

True Fanerer said:
From my experience, more people know Murray than Wawrinka.

I don't have any data on it, so I just assumed @Service Ace was correct. Either way, I still have a problem with the idea.

True Fanerer · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
I don't have any data on it, so I just assumed @Service Ace was correct. Either way, I still have a problem with the idea.

Everyone knew when Murray won Wimbledon and ended the drought. Wawrinka is known, but there's no way he's known more than Andy. I don't see it. Or popular or whatever.

Mainad · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
Andy Murray is below Wawrinka? What fresh hell is this?

Plus both are more than 40 places below Nishikori???

Mainad · Mar 15, 2019

Deon Sanders said:
Considering the athletic prowess of the United Kingdom they should simply be happy anyone made the list at all

Well, I've considered it and I find that the UK was respectively 4th, 3rd and 2nd in the medal tables of the last 3 Olympics. Correct me if I'm wrong but that usually indicates some sort of athletic prowess. or, if it doesn't, then I don't know what does.

Dan Lobb · Mar 15, 2019

Tshooter said:
Golf is not a sport so the entire exercise is ridiculous. Neither is punching someone in the head or kicking them with your foot. I won't pretend to know what cricket is all about but I know it was connected to the British Empire which is very over. Football should not be celebrated in any manner -- it's a factory for head injury. The other kind of football (soccer) is too boring to comment further. That leaves an additional 91 slots for tennis. A sport for Ladies and Gentlemen.

I know, I ignored basketball.

Is ice hockey a sport?

I guess not.

They pay those hockey guys millions for what?

Mainad · Mar 15, 2019

Service Ace said:
Accurate. Wawrinka is more popular and respected stateside than the overrated pusher.

No kidding???

TripleATeam · Mar 15, 2019

Mainad said:
Plus both are more than 40 places below Nishikori???

Okay, that's actually very possible. Japan loves Nishikori and markets him everywhere.

Mainad · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
I don't have any data on it, so I just assumed @Service Ace was correct. Either way, I still have a problem with the idea.

Don't worry, I suspect he doesn't have any data on it either.

Deleted member 716271 · Mar 15, 2019

How long has Cristiano been 1?

Can't see him giving it up any time soon

Dan Lobb · Mar 15, 2019

What is the methodology for this supposed ranking?

Is every sport eligible?

Does not look like it.

Mainad · Mar 15, 2019

TripleATeam said:
Okay, that's actually very possible. Japan loves Nishikori and markets him everywhere.

And some posters on here have the nerve to accuse the UK of over-plugging Murray!

Dan Lobb · Mar 15, 2019

Tiger is no longer at his peak...I guess some people do not realize that.

Dan Lobb · Mar 15, 2019

Dan Lobb said:
What is the methodology for this supposed ranking?

Is every sport eligible?

Does not look like it.

No rugby?

The new generation of Asian women golfers have enormous followings, they are national heroes.

This must be only an English language/European list.

Deon Sanders · Mar 15, 2019

Dan Lobb said:
No rugby?

The new generation of Asian women golfers have enormous followings, they are national heroes.

This must be only an English language/European list.

So the most relevant list to post

Chadalina · Mar 15, 2019

One woman on the list, espn is sexist.

NoleFam · Mar 15, 2019

I don't really know how they compiled this list but no way should Wawrinka be ahead of Murray. I can see he made more in endorsements but Murray overall has a much bigger following.

Djokovic2015 · Mar 15, 2019

Mainad said:
Plus both are more than 40 places below Nishikori???

Depsite not winning any slams, Nishikori is the 2nd most endorsed tennis player in the world. He is above Serena/Nadal/Djokovic and only behind Federer. He also has a monstrous following not only in Japan, but all over Asia including China. Like TC said, if Asia could ever actually produce an ATG level male player, he would probably surpass all tennis players and contend for being #1 overall on this list.

125downthemiddle said:
How long has Cristiano been 1?

Can't see him giving it up any time soon

He has been #1 every year since they started producing the lists in 2016.

Dan Lobb · Mar 15, 2019

Deon Sanders said:
So the most relevant list to post

Canada speaks English, and dominates an international sport which pays millions to its individual players....ice hockey.

What happened?

Too bad they don't like to talk about their methodology.

Backspin1183 · Mar 15, 2019

Nishikori $33m in endorsements.

KG1965 · Mar 15, 2019

ESPN

G4P45 · Mar 15, 2019

These are always dominated by football players. David Beckham used to be number earner before he retired

ABCD · Mar 16, 2019

Title "world fame" is misleading title. As an example, there is not a single Chinese table tennis star on the list. Taking into consideration population of China and that they are household names in China it is unlikely that no one is top 100.

Boom-Boom · Mar 16, 2019

Mainad said:
Well, I've considered it and I find that the UK was respectively 4th, 3rd and 2nd in the medal tables of the last 3 Olympics. Correct me if I'm wrong but that usually indicates some sort of athletic prowess. or, if it doesn't, then I don't know what does.

based on doped indoor cycling mostly

Harry_Wild · Mar 16, 2019

tennisaddict said:
How does Sania Mirza rank 93rd ? I thought she has not played for over an year and she is an exclusive doubles player for long.

Sania Mirza is popular in India! Just had a child and going to get back on tour again.

Red Rick · Mar 16, 2019

TripleATeam said:
Andy Murray is below Wawrinka? What fresh hell is this?

That's the one that doesn't make aaaany sense whatsoever, unless being British Wimbly champ is a lesser accomplishments than being Rogi's biggest ***** boye

Red Rick · Mar 16, 2019

Djokovic2015 said:
Djokovic dropped a lot this year for some reason. Maybe less endorsements in 2018 after his subpar 2017 season?

The big 3 rankings in the 2017 list were
#4 Federer
#9 Nadal
#12 Djokovic

The big 3 rankings in the 2018 list were
#5 Federer
#8 Nadal
#13 Djokovic

The top 3 have always been Ronaldo/LeBron/Messi in that order all 3 years. Fed was 4th in 2017, but then passed by Neymar in 2018.

From 2018 to 2019:
Fed was surpassed by McGregor to drop from 5th to 6th.
Nadal passed up Tiger and Durant, but was surpassed by McGregor and Kohli, and so stayed 8th.
Djokovic passed up Mickelson, but was surpassed by Pogba, Dhoni, Mbappe, Nurmagomedov, Griezmann, Singh, Ozil, and McGregor, and so dropped from 13th to 20th.

In other words

2018 was a WC year.

Meles · Mar 16, 2019

tennisaddict said:
How does Sania Mirza rank 93rd ? I thought she has not played for over an year and she is an exclusive doubles player for long.

Osaka not on list?

Mainad · Mar 16, 2019

Boom-Boom said:
based on doped indoor cycling mostly

I believe there were medals in all sorts of other activities too and, of course, Americans will be the last people on earth to accuse anybody else of doping.

Bukmeikara · Mar 16, 2019

ESPN are not very good in creating those rankings. They follow their own agenda. In the 2017-2018 NBA season they ranked NBA top 100 players and names like Dwayne Wade and Dwight Howard werent inside it ...

rainingaces · Mar 16, 2019

I don't think Anthony Joshua will be as high 63 next year.

Shaun White was the first person on the list I didn't know.

Nadal_Django · Mar 16, 2019

What's up with all these Indian cricket dudes in a worldwide fame list!?

And some gamer called Ninja

have more fame than De Gea, James Harden and Luka Modric just to name a few... Worldwide. Lol

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