Do you play tennis or are you a non-playing fan?

As a tennis fan I:


  • Total voters
    211

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
Simple question. Was just curious how many posters actually play vs. how many don't play but are fans. I see people post that tennis doesn't have a non-playing fan base so I am interested. Of course, I assume most here would search tennis forums out as players, so maybe a skewed base. But let me know if other friends, family, co-workers, or people you know play and watch, watch but don't play, or have no clue about tennis.


Thanks.

EDIT TO ADD: I posted this in General Pro to capture those who watch pros but never appear in any other forum sections.
 
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BGod

G.O.A.T.
Played provincially (by state in US comparison). Our largest region.

Did so until blowing out knee. Ranking was generally Top 50.
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
As I observe, the majority of people in General Pro Player Discussion Section never post in Racquets, Strings, Shoes and Apparels...

It tells a lot.


True. Part of my interest is, I post mostly in other areas, including video and such, but I do notice a lot of members in this Gen Pro section do not ever show up anywhere else.

Relationally, there are more than enough fans in other major sports that have never played, or only had a slight exposure to it as a kid playing some city program. I think that is not so much the case for tennis, at least in the sense of die hard tennis fans like you see in other sports. I think the die hards are almost all players.
 

Fairhit

Hall of Fame
I've been watching tennis since around 96, Ive always wanted to play but found no one in my friends circle who wanted to learn with me, so we started playing squash because it seemed like a good compromise, because of family and work I stopped watching so much tennis until I saw the AO 2017 final and decided there that I finally will fulfill my dream of playing no matter what and I've been playing since then.
 

Tennisgods

Hall of Fame
I don’t play, only really got in to it through watching Federer over the years. I’ve since played plenty of times for fun and enjoy the game but i’m happy to admit that I’m awful. And that I don’t know what i’m talking about on here.

Not alone there though!
 

The Green Mile

Bionic Poster
I just ask my club coach about any tips on my game or string suggestions if I want some help in any sort of way. The guy has always been good like that and he pretty much tought and gradually improved my game when I was still in school. I would never ask for advice from the tips section lol.

It seems strange and foreign almost that one does not play tennis, yet watches it frequently, unless injured or something...
 

Milehigh5280

Professional
I chose to play basketball over tennis in 11th grade because I was tall and I wanted to focus on getting a basketball scholarship. I probably could have played either in college. I ended up messing up my ankle in a basketball game which derailed my college chances. I sometimes wish I stuck with tennis. I still play recreationally but I'm not as good as I might have been if I stuck with tennis through college.
 
B

BrokenGears

Guest
Which is why this forum is full of idiots

Bunch of people who don’t play tennis and the ones that do are old 2.0 players lol

Think they know **** about tennis
 

NatF

Bionic Poster
I play. Started playing about 4 or so years ago, basically just recreational but just joined a new club and will be playing competitively for them this year.
 
B

BrokenGears

Guest
Well, you also don't know **** about tennis.

The only thing that remains is to announce what your level is.

:p

I definetly know more than your elitist ass don’t worry. I actually play tennis at a high level
 

haqq777

Legend
Former DII college player (class of 2005) and was the conference player of the year my senior year. Hit regularly with local college team these days and can hold my own but definitely not as good as I used to be. Not in the same shape either but two kids and a desk job tends to do that. I mainly post in Racquets and other equipment sections but sometimes make my way here to GPPD section (just to be disappointed, then I disappear from here for a while only to pop back in).
 

upchuck

Hall of Fame
Haven't played in awhile. In recent times I've played for a couple months then stopped for as long as over a year, then started again. It's an endless cycle. I'd play more if it were not for this one guy at the park I try to avoid.
 

TheGhostOfAgassi

Talk Tennis Guru
As I observe, the majority of people in General Pro Player Discussion Section never post in Racquets, Strings, Shoes and Apparels...

It tells a lot.
When Novak had problems last year he had recently changed his racquet.
Very common players have to get used to racquet changes. While 99% in here blamed his diet, Pepe, wife etc.
Gossip people. Going on and on.

If they were a little interested in the technical part of it they would have known.
So many here seem to not have done much in sports at all. No understanding for competition. Like tennis is some wrestling match.
 
I enjoy playing all the major racket sports but with tennis it vacillates between A and B. The only constant is badminton (which I don't watch much of). Though table tennis is the most convenient and available around my digs.

Don't you have problems when you switch between TT and Tennis?

After I play tennis I am constantly late for my strokes in TT and get easily pushed back until I adjust.

:cool:
 

ABCD

Hall of Fame
I play tennis as an amateur, but used to be serious TT player; beat some international players in official matches etc. Now at 57, I am better player than I was at 25, but I don't play it seriously (I am not paid to play).
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
I play, if not as frequently or as well as I'd like. To be honest, I don't have that much time and $ to put into playing, so if I play 3-5 times indoors (as a contract sub) and perhaps, a time or two on the weekend late spring thru summer, that suffices. I love playing, though, but also love spending time with my wife and son. And we all have to work. I also still play and co-captain a Sunday men's softball team, but no more hoops leagues.

My game? Okay. Quite a few years ago, I was a good but not scholarship-worthy HS player, and thought about trying out for my university's team. No regrets, as I may not have made it.

I've seen some on this thread make derogatory assumptions about those who don't post on the tips or equipment sections. Quite infrequently I have, but that's not my interest, and when I do need equipment, there's a very good store with a very honest owner nearby, if I have questions, want to demo racquets, etc.
 

ak24alive

Legend
Growing up in a town in my country, I did not see a real tennis court until I was 26. Here, tennis is still considered a rich person's game and access is limited (unless you are in a city) and cricket/football are everywhere.
Same story here. Last year in University though. Hopefully I can find a tennis court in the city they will call me to for the job. It is perhaps going to be Pune or Bangalore. Given a choice I will choose Pune for sure. I will find a court and then play my ass off for the rest of my life lol.
Don't you have problems when you switch between TT and Tennis?

After I play tennis I am constantly late for my strokes in TT and get easily pushed back until I adjust.

:cool:
Is it the other way around too? Like if I play TT will it affect my tennis?
I play TT a lot and funnily enough I play it a lot like tennis. I would go full on Murray and start retrieving the ball from a meter and a half behind the table. Or I would hit Federer like flat inside out FHs and end up hitting the ball out more often than not.
It took me some time to realise that this can't be played like tennis and it needs a certain discipline. After that I learned fairly quickly. But I am willing to leave the "sport" if it affects my tennis in the future.
 
Exactly.

If you are the big expert in GDDP, but never post in Tips, Equipment, Pros etc it tells a whole story.

:cool:
Because one doesn't post in tips or gear-centered forums doesn't really have anything to do with whether one plays the sport, or not. nor does it disqualify them as a true tennis fan. Some people don't geek out over gear, they are simply happy with what they use and don't get into what other people use or try to impress people with their "knowledge." And, not everyone has such an inflated sense of self to offer up tips. Get over yourself. GDDP? That tells the real story.
 

Noleberic123

G.O.A.T.
I used to play competitively but not anymore I just play recreationally nowadays and not very often. I'm nowhere near as fit or as good as I used to be obviously. Since I play only one or twice every month or so.
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
I play tennis as an amateur, but used to be serious TT player; beat some international players in official matches etc. Now at 57, I am better player than I was at 25, but I don't play it seriously (I am not paid to play).
I'm starting to get into ping pong (TT, if you prefer) again, and trying to play one morning a week with a group of mostly retired guys, mostly from Taiwan. Some are quite good, and a few months in, I'm getting to mid-level there. One problem is that my game is very mini-tennis-like, if you will. I kind of get by with good reflexes, agility and decent "groundies"...my serve and ROS can't hang with the best players.
 
Because one doesn't post in tips or gear-centered forums doesn't really have anything to do with whether one plays the sport, or not. nor does it disqualify them as a true tennis fan. Some people don't geek out over gear, they are simply happy with what they use and don't get into what other people use or try to impress people with their "knowledge." And, not everyone has such an inflated sense of self to offer up tips. Get over yourself. GDDP? That tells the real story.

It was more a reference to the fact that if one doesn't play tennis, it is harder for him to understand what is going on, which a kind of interferes with his supposed knowledge, just by watching it. It is not impossible, but it is harder.

I never said anything about being a "tennis fan".

As for participation, most people that play tennis have stumbled upon this site while looking for answers either given in the equipment, or tips section, so that is another thing that indicates at what level they are interested. I also don't post much there (mostly because most of the topics are either irrelevant to me, or there are people that know about the problem a lot more than I do), but from time to time it is nice to be able to exchange ideas or make clarifications to things that one doesn't understand. If it helps, maybe imagining the tips section as sharing instead of being instructed will change your opinion on the matter to what extend the "self" is actually involved.

GDDP is "da bomb" when it comes to certain discussions, I agree.

:cool:
 

ABCD

Hall of Fame
I'm starting to get into ping pong (TT, if you prefer) again, and trying to play one morning a week with a group of mostly retired guys, mostly from Taiwan. Some are quite good, and a few months in, I'm getting to mid-level there. One problem is that my game is very mini-tennis-like, if you will. I kind of get by with good reflexes, agility and decent "groundies"...my serve and ROS can't hang with the best players.

It is similar but very different. Wrist and spin is much more important. Similarly to tennis, technology (new rubbers) and technique of strokes immensely improved last 20-30 years. I watched a clip of Nadal and Djokovic playing TT and they don't have a clue. To learn to play you have to be properly coached, otherwise you can play 20 years 8h per day and would improve up to a point and that's it.
 

Pheasant

Legend
I play tennis occasionally. The problem is that my racquetball swing is horrible for tennis. But I was a very competitive racquetball player. I played racquetball for 30 years until my knees gave out for good a year ago at age 49. My claim to fame is that I took a game off of a Senior Circuit( top 10 guy and a former pro player. (he was 45 and I was 27 when I beat him). To be fair, my 120 mph serves were hitting the corners nearly every time and I won 11-10. I served the game of my life. The next game, he figured out where I was serving to and he destroyed me 11-0. I caught the old guy off balance for one game.

He is now 68 and has had complete knee replacements for both knees.
 
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