Tennis has gone downhill. How much of it will you watch in 2014?

[SafinIsGOAT]

I'm only going to follow the Slams in 2014. Don't care about smaller tournaments. And I'm not following the Slams religiously or anything. I'm just gonna check up on the draws every day and try to catch any good matches. I will not watch any finals if they contain 2 of the Big 3. If every final in 2014 contains 2 of the Big 3, I will stop watching tennis algother.

 

[LazyNinja19]

Janowicz is the new Safin!

 

[Goosehead]

Dimitrov is the new Federer. :neutral:

 

[jussumman]

I kinda agree with you OP. I'm enjoying the WTF with top 8 playing on indoor surface. I've been watching a lot if tennis past years and need to cut down anyway, time to be more selective. The last thing I want to see is Djokovic vs Nadal or Ferrer.

 

[firepanda]

Tennis is strong. Federer's decline has weakened it, so it has certainly gone downhill compared to a few years ago, but it is just as popular as it was in the 90's and more popular than in the early 00's. It's profile has decreased in America, apparently, but it is doing very well over in Europe and down in Australia and NZ.

In terms of skill, it is more entertaining than before. I watched the oft-lauded Safin-Federer AO semifinal recently. Safin was playing brilliantly. But it was boring. There were few rallies and errors and winners were being thrown about without reserve. Give me today's tennis anytime.

 

[Death Master]

I'm only going to follow the Slams in 2014. Don't care about smaller tournaments. And I'm not following the Slams religiously or anything. I'm just gonna check up on the draws every day and try to catch any good matches. I will not watch any finals if they contain 2 of the Big 3. If every final in 2014 contains 2 of the Big 3, I will stop watching tennis algother.

you can try bass fishing tournaments.


lot easier to follow and a lot less stress.

 

[Chico]

I'm only going to follow the Slams in 2014. Don't care about smaller tournaments. And I'm not following the Slams religiously or anything. I'm just gonna check up on the draws every day and try to catch any good matches. I will not watch any finals if they contain 2 of the Big 3. If every final in 2014 contains 2 of the Big 3, I will stop watching tennis algother.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[Death Master]

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

very well said and articulated as usual.



the way I look at it, either one loves the sport of tennis or one does not.


only a damn fool watches the sport for just one player.


time stands still for nobody. these big 4 are gone in about 4-5 years.

you have to keep moving.

 

[FreeBird]

Janowicz is the better Safin!

Corrected for you.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Tennis is still entertaining, some of the guys bubbling under the top are at least being much more consistent lately.

 

[dirtballer]

As a spectator sport I feel tennis is regressing. Because of advancements in strings, rackets, conditioning, etc., the game has evolved into baseline battles of attrition with little variety.

 

[Warmaster]

I really hope someone like Janowicz will break through. Tennis needs characters with a unique playstyle. Top 10 just needs new blood in general, it's barely changed the past few years.

 

[batz]

As a spectator sport I feel tennis is regressing. Because of advancements in strings, rackets, conditioning, etc., the game has evolved into baseline battles of attrition with little variety.

As opposed to a serving battle of attrition that had lots of variety?

 

[mandy01]

As a spectator sport I feel tennis is regressing. Because of advancements in strings, rackets, conditioning, etc., the game has evolved into baseline battles of attrition with little variety.

Exactly. If anything, the OP clearly is a true tennis fan because he sees it. Nobody is saying, "ban the grinders." The idea is to give a legitimate chance to attackers as well. And if that doesn't happen, yes, tennis has regressed and clearly the true tennis fans will abandon it until the powers that be realize their folly in just going ahead and neutralizing every surface.

 

[mandy01]

As opposed to a serving battle of attrition that had lots of variety?

What battle of serves, batzy? And how many tournaments did you see it across?

 

[batz]

What battle of serves, batzy? And how many tournaments did you see it across?

Most places apart from clay? This 'there was more variety in the good old days' is a trope IMO Mandy.

 

[NatF]

Most places apart from clay? This 'there was more variety in the good old days' is a trope IMO Mandy.

Only Wimbledon could be said to be 'serve wars' and even then I think it's a disservice. The hard courts of the 90's had lots of baseline rallies.

 

[Paul Murphy]

As a spectator sport I feel tennis is regressing. Because of advancements in strings, rackets, conditioning, etc., the game has evolved into baseline battles of attrition with little variety.

Agreed. Not enough variety. A great baseliner versus a great S/V exponent was wonderful tennis. Too much sameness and it'll be much worse when Fed retires.

 

[Paul Murphy]

Exactly. If anything, the OP clearly is a true tennis fan because he sees it. Nobody is saying, "ban the grinders." The idea is to give a legitimate chance to attackers as well. And if that doesn't happen, yes, tennis has regressed and clearly the true tennis fans will abandon it until the powers that be realize their folly in just going ahead and neutralizing every surface.

Very well put. I see those behind Shanghai and the AO are talking about speeding up the surfaces - about time.

 

[lcalamar]

I tend to agree with the general idea that it is less interesting. I've lost interest in Nadal vs Djokovic vs Murray. These are GREAT players - but there isn't much more to see.

It isn't that the baseline to baseline play isn't brilliant but shouldn't the game at least allow for a great S/V to be competitive?

I'm ready for more variety, both in players and in styles.

On the WTA side - the style of play is even more mundane. What makes it worse is everyone not named Serena is playing for 2nd place.

 

[Paul Murphy]

I tend to agree with the general idea that it is less interesting. I've lost interest in Nadal vs Djokovic vs Murray. These are GREAT players - but there isn't much more to see.

It isn't that the baseline to baseline play isn't brilliant but shouldn't the game at least allow for a great S/V to be competitive?

I'm ready for more variety, both in players and in styles.

On the WTA side - the style of play is even more mundane. What makes it worse is everyone not named Serena is playing for 2nd place.

Agree. A mix of styles. But I doubt we'll see it.

 

[Firing Forehand]

I'm only going to follow the Slams in 2014. Don't care about smaller tournaments. And I'm not following the Slams religiously or anything. I'm just gonna check up on the draws every day and try to catch any good matches. I will not watch any finals if they contain 2 of the Big 3. If every final in 2014 contains 2 of the Big 3, I will stop watching tennis algother.

Try to find another hobby then. Snooker or darts are very popular here in UK.

I'm sorry for you but tennis is better now than ever. We've got a Big3 which can become a Big4 if Delpo keep playing like this.

Some fed fans dont like tennis. They just like fed. Sorry for you guys, show must go on, and without fed it will be the same.

 

[mbm0912]

Janowicz would own Safin.

 

[Firing Forehand]

As opposed to a serving battle of attrition that had lots of variety?

This.

10boringservefest

 

[Terenigma]

I will watch all that i can get access to. Federer is the only real loss Tennis has had, we still have the big 3 (assuming Murray comes back strong) and i feel 2014 will be the year where some of the younger players will step up now that the big 4 is gone. Im looking forward to seing Raonic make a big play for one of the slams next year, he has the weapons, he just needs the mental focus. Deff a player who's improved drastically this year.

 

[lcalamar]

Try to find another hobby then. Snooker or darts are very popular here in UK.

I'm sorry for you but tennis is better now than ever. We've got a Big3 which can become a Big4 if Delpo keep playing like this.

Some fed fans dont like tennis. They just like fed. Sorry for you guys, show must go on, and without fed it will be the same.

Calm down...

Not sure what the issue is. There are a lot of great tennis fans out there who at this moment in time want to see something different. That doesn't make them bad people - nor should they have to give up tennis entirely.

 

[victorcruz]

If all you're gonna do is complain, than do yourself and us a favor and stop watching. Write letters to the tennis gods about how you hate present day tennis, and spare us the threads complaining about it. Good luck dude