What have the Big 3 done for the sport of tennis?

[Steve0904]

My best summation without making an unnecessarily long post for now is that they've increased the professionalism of tennis by leaps and bounds. There have always been legends in tennis (and all sports) that work hard to be the best they can be. There have always been rivalries, but these guys (and Murray) have gone above and beyond that. They've probably (at least in most peoples eyes I'd say) worked the hardest to sell the sport of tennis and done the best job at it as a consequence. You very rarely if ever see any of them not make time for the media or the fans. They've done conferences and signed autographs after some of their most painful losses, and you might say it's expected of them, but not everybody does it either. You can't say they're held to a higher standard because they're the Big 4. The point is that they made the standard themselves. They are the standard.

They promote the sport of tennis unlike any others before them. God bless Sampras and Agassi, but one of them had the personality of a piece of cardboard, and the other took years off in the middle of his prime to deal with his numerous problems. It humanized Agassi in a way, but you can't say one of tennis's major attractions taking years off was good for tennis. And as far as professionalism goes, Borg was professional, but Mac and Connors were the furthest thing from it (apart from the fact that they didn't tank matches like Tomic and Kyrgios). Just a couple examples.

That's the best way I would describe it.

 

[BlueClayGOAT]

Tennis is a means to an end, not an end in and of itself.

I'd have thought all sports, at their very heart, are an end in and of themselves. All the sponsors, money, other accouterments come later.

 

[SpinToWin]

I'd have thought all sports, at their very heart, are an end in and of themselves. All the sponsors, money, other accouterments come later.

I’d disagree.

How is a sport an end?

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[BlueClayGOAT]

I’d disagree.

How is a sport an end?

Why do we play sports?

 

[SpinToWin]

Why do we play sports?

To be fit.

For the enjoyment.

For the competitive/social element.

For the money or the status.

A replacement for tribal conflicts some might argue.

Etc.


We don’t play sports in order to play sports, at least that doesn’t seem to be a feasible explanation to me right now.

 

[tennisaddict]

To be fit.

For the enjoyment.

For the competitive/social element.

For the money or the status.

A replacement for tribal conflicts some might argue.

Etc.


We don’t play sports in order to play sports, at least that doesn’t seem to be a feasible explanation to me right now.

Some people are born to play sports..Bolt, Federer, Jordan, Phelps...

 

[SpinToWin]

Some people are born to play sports..Bolt, Federer, Jordan, Phelps...

That does not make the sports an end. What you’re doing there is using colloquial language to make a different claim with a similar literal expression.

 

[aditya123]

Well, With very limited knowledge I want to state some facts 1) Rafa pays 53% tax in his home nation whereas Djokovic lives in tax free Monaco and am unsure what is the tax percentage in switzerland. 2) Lot of money goes to coaches, treatments, physios, agents. Rafa among the top 3 is attempting to give back something to tennis through his world-class academy though the fees aspect is debatable. We also have to realize that few things are out of control of the top 3 , for Eg racket costs, travelling expenses, diet etc etc. In short if tennis has to become affordable to all, it takes time and a lot of incentives, strong decisions from government of the countries etc etc

 

[TennisLBC]

@Steve0904 You make a wonderful point about Borg being a professional. Borg took is craft seriously for such a young guy; yet was still a rock star without even trying to be. Borg made tennis cool.

 

[tennisaddict]

That does not make the sports an end. What you’re doing there is using colloquial language to make a different claim with a similar literal expression.

Is music an end ?

Is arts and movies an end ?

Are most jobs that human perform an end ?

Other than medical doctors who impact human life nothing seems an end . And what is the big deal even there ? There are 6 billion people in the world ? What's the big deal if a few die early ?

Nothing against what you said.

 

[SpinToWin]

Is music an end ?

No

Is arts and movies an end ?

No

Are most jobs that human perform an end ?

No

Other than medical doctors who impact human life nothing seems an end.

Impacting human life positively is an end.

And what is the big deal even there ? There are 6 billion people in the world ? What's the big deal if a few die early ?

Because human beings have moral value.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

You probably need to get an understanding of life in Africa.

Inner city America is like a heaven on earth compared to that

Of course. There are more important things than tennis obviously. But the thread was about what they have done for tennis specifically.

 

[tennisaddict]

Of course. There are more important things than tennis obviously. But the thread was about what they have done for tennis specifically.

They have been terrific ambassadors and role model for future generation. They have chosen to make wider impact to society by spending their time and money wisely on aspects more important to mankind.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

My best summation without making an unnecessarily long post for now is that they've increased the professionalism of tennis by leaps and bounds. There have always been legends in tennis (and all sports) that work hard to be the best they can be. There have always been rivalries, but these guys (and Murray) have gone above and beyond that. They've probably (at least in most peoples eyes I'd say) worked the hardest to sell the sport of tennis and done the best job at it as a consequence. You very rarely if ever see any of them not make time for the media or the fans. They've done conferences and signed autographs after some of their most painful losses, and you might say it's expected of them, but not everybody does it either. You can't say they're held to a higher standard because they're the Big 4. The point is that they made the standard themselves. They are the standard.

They promote the sport of tennis unlike any others before them. God bless Sampras and Agassi, but one of them had the personality of a piece of cardboard, and the other took years off in the middle of his prime to deal with his numerous problems. It humanized Agassi in a way, but you can't say one of tennis's major attractions taking years off was good for tennis. And as far as professionalism goes, Borg was professional, but Mac and Connors were the furthest thing from it (apart from the fact that they didn't tank matches like Tomic and Kyrgios). Just a couple examples.

That's the best way I would describe it.

These are fair points, but to me what made Connors an attractive story was his rags to riches career. Now don’t get me wrong I didn’t care for his antics but I have a huge amount of respect for coming from nothing to being what he was. Same thing with Agassi.

The point is even in other places pretty much all higher ranked players come from at least a fairly affluent background. I’m the past at least you had stories like Agassi,Lendl, Connors etc. but now the only true rags to riches story I can think of this century is Djokovic.

The top players feel inaccessible to the working class. Maybe it’s just perception. But that’s the way me and others feel about them.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

They have been terrific ambassadors and role model for future generation. They have chosen to make wider impact to society by spending their time and money wisely on aspects more important to mankind.

I’m not doubting that they haven’t to an extent. I’m not going to get into a further debate with you since my education of very specific matters on this is lacking.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

No

No

No

Impacting human life positively is an end.

Because human beings have moral value.

“Because human beings have moral value”. Well they should. Oftentimes they don’t.

 

[SpinToWin]

“Because human beings have moral value”. Well they should. Oftentimes they don’t.

They still do, though oftentimes they aren’t treated that way.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

They still do, though oftentimes they aren’t treated that way.

Yes that’s true. But I admit I’m very cynical about that.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Also, not to put too fine a point on it, many Americans seem to not realize that America is not the world.

Exactly. I'm American but hate the jingoism of many Americans-- it's stupid and makes non-Americans rightfully gag.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Roger Federer plans to rid the world of all nuclear tennis weapons. JMDP banned from using the forehand etc etc.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

Exactly. I'm American but hate the jingoism of many Americans-- it's stupid and makes non-Americans rightfully gag.

Same here. I couldn’t give a crap less what my nation does in the pros. I’m no patriot. My nation sucks in many ways.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

one of them ruined it.
i won't say more...

 

[SpinToWin]

Same here. I couldn’t give a crap less what my nation does in the pros. I’m no patriot. My nation sucks in many ways.

Depends what patriotism refers to. National pride is nationalism in my book. Meanwhile, patriotism relates more to the principles and culture.

I consider myself patriotic but not nationalistic.

Would have to look into the roots of the words to be able to say how accurate my portrayal is though.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

Depends what patriotism refers to. National pride is nationalism in my book. Meanwhile, patriotism relates more to the principles and culture.

I consider myself patriotic but not nationalistic.

Would have to look into the roots of the words to be able to say how accurate my portrayal is though.

Yes my 7th grade education just showed lol. Okay I’m not a nationalist! Maybe still not even a patriot though. There are many parts of our culture I can’t stand.

 

[BeatlesFan]

There are many parts of our culture I can’t stand.

But if you traveled to many other countries, you would almost certainly change your mind. Though as an American, I would prefer to live in Bavaria or Switzerland.

 

[YellowFedBetter]

But if you traveled to many other countries, you would almost certainly change your mind. Though as an American, I would prefer to live in Bavaria or Switzerland.

Why do you say that? Both things I mean.

 

[SomeTennisFanTime]

Agreeing with some of the other people here, the Big 3 (or 4), starting with just the classic Fedal rivalry in the 2000's, revitalized the popularity of tennis; the sport itself is one of the most popular in the world, and part of that is the dominance of the group that has led it to become a stable face for the top of tennis. This is shown in how tennis has attracted so many sponsors in the last decade or so, leading to massive increases in prize money at Grand Slam tournaments and lower. If you think that tennis is less popular than before, it's because interest in the U.S., or perhaps only parts of it, has gone down due to the lack of American male talent compared to previous decades. Say what you want about the WTA, but it has never been as popular as the ATP, and this is shown in viewership figures (though the WTA has had some good growth in the last couple of years), so even though Serena Williams has been dominating for many years, the American audience at-large is less interested in tennis as a whole. Saying that she's done more for popularity of tennis than the entirety of the ATP is ludicrous and unfounded, especially when such a claim is treated as fact. What is a fact is that while viewership in the U.S. might've gone down, tennis is the fastest growing traditional sport in the U.S.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Yes my 7th grade education just showed lol. Okay I’m not a nationalist! Maybe still not even a patriot though. There are many parts of our culture I can’t stand.

You can see here on this forum how easy posters feel offended if you say something negative about their country. Its a serious thing in USA. The standing on the national anthem is for me a strange. Why play the anthem at all? And if they dont want to stand, so what? Its their choice. Why make a big deal about it Even the president is getting involved. Its so nationalistic. The famous horrible German movement 2ww did the same. Always played the national anthem even if it was only Germans there. They had to stand. To say they have to follow something because its a tradition makes me
I dont even have a flag.