Why is Sinner* not grabbing the general public's attention?

Mustard

Bionic Poster
Tour Finals 2003 was really the turning point for him.

He beat Agassi twice, Nalbandian and Hewitt, all players that had given him trouble and from then on was a completely changed man.

The Agassi RR was an absolute classic and nail biter.. then Fed destroyed Andre in the final.
A slight correction. Hewitt didn't play at the 2003 YEC. Hewitt's ranking was too low (he finished 2003 at #17), he was in serious litigation and feuding with the ATP, and Hewitt had not played outside of Davis Cup for months. There were even rumours at that time that Hewitt might quit tennis for Aussie Rules football. Ferrero was the other player that Federer beat.

Yes, Federer's round robin match against Agassi saw Agassi have a match point. Federer saved it, and Federer squeezed out a 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 win. Federer then dominated the rest of the tournament. Federer beat Nalbandian 6-3, 6-0 (when Federer was 0-5 against Nalbandian going into the match, including losses at the 2003 Australian and US Opens, and he had lost to Nalbandian in the 1998 US Open junior final too), beat Ferrero 6-3, 6-1 (Federer, Ferrero and Roddick were fighting for the 2003 year-end number 1 ranking, which Roddick won). Federer then beat world number 1 Roddick 7-6, 6-2 in the semi final, and then Federer finished with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 demolition of Agassi in the final.

Then, soon after the 2003 YEC tournament, Federer fired his coach Peter Lundgren, and spent 2004 effectively coachless as he dominated.
 

Shaolin

Talk Tennis Guru
A slight correction. Hewitt didn't play at the 2003 YEC. Hewitt's ranking was too low (he finished 2003 at #17), he was in serious litigation and feuding with the ATP, and Hewitt had not played outside of Davis Cup for months. There were even rumours at that time that Hewitt might quit tennis for Aussie Rules football. Ferrero was the other player that Federer beat.

Yes, Federer's round robin match against Agassi saw Agassi have a match point. Federer saved it, and Federer squeezed out a 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 win. Federer then dominated the rest of the tournament. Federer beat Nalbandian 6-3, 6-0 (when Federer was 0-5 against Nalbandian going into the match, including losses at the 2003 Australian and US Opens, and he had lost to Nalbandian in the 1998 US Open junior final too), beat Ferrero 6-3, 6-1 (Federer, Ferrero and Roddick were fighting for the 2003 year-end number 1 ranking, which Roddick won). Federer then beat world number 1 Roddick 7-6, 6-2 in the semi final, and then Federer finished with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 demolition of Agassi in the final.

Then, soon after the 2003 YEC tournament, Federer fired his coach Peter Lundgren, and spent 2004 effectively coachless as he dominated.

Ah yes good call on Hewitt, I confused him with JCF. Nalbandian did give him a lot of trouble and I think that win, plus saving matchpoints against Andre in the RR, really did wonders for his confidence. Deep in the RR tiebreak against Agassi, I think it was to save a MP, he hit an incredible inside-in FH winner that Ill always remember.
 

tennis3

Hall of Fame
I said he wasn't breaking through with the "general public". An online vote among the sort of tennis fans who vote in online votes proves nothing.
You want him to break through with people who never watch and don’t care about tennis? “I wonder what the Kardashians and Sinner are up to”?
 

TearTheRoofOff

G.O.A.T.
Ah yes good call on Hewitt, I confused him with JCF. Nalbandian did give him a lot of trouble and I think that win, plus saving matchpoints against Andre in the RR, really did wonders for his confidence. Deep in the RR tiebreak against Agassi, I think it was to save a MP, he hit an incredible inside-in FH winner that Ill always remember.
Understandable. Wasn't everyone in that era basically Srichapan?
 

Federev

G.O.A.T.
There can be no doubt that Sinner* is playing at a level above the rest of the tour, at the moment. And he is playing tennis of an extremely high level. But, unlike Alcaraz, this doesn't seem to be translating to interest or attention among the general public, far less love.

Of course, there are tennis nerds (like us!) who have chosen Sinner* as their favourite new player but he really doesn't seem to be cutting through with the wider public, not even sports fans.

Why?


More or less…

Sinner = Novak

Alcaraz = Federer

It’s the GAME they play.

Stats and records don’t automatically translate to popular appreciation much less enjoyment.

No offense , but it figures - as someone enthralled with Novak - you wouldn’t identify with the tennis culture’s favorite (again) or get their lack of interest in Sinner.

It’s essentially a copy paste of Fedovic. And you didn’t identify with that either.
 
You want him to break through with people who never watch and don’t care about tennis? “I wonder what the Kardashians and Sinner are up to”?
The general public contain all sorts of people: those with a passing interest in tennis, those who only watch Wimbledon, those with no interest. My granny had no interest in tennis but she knew who John McEnroe was. I have a friend with no interest in sports- he knew who Federer and Nadal were.

If the greatest tennis player in the world is making no impression on the general public it doesn't bode well for the health of the game.
 
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