mercuryguy
New User
I loved to watch Sampras play and kinda stop watching after Sampras retired. Fed got me back to Tennis, I enjoy watching him play both live and on TV and also try to emulate him on the tennis court.
With Nadal as #1, will Tennis be more popular?
- Thread starter xxxabc123xxx
- Start date
marpiw
Semi-Pro
Cant Talk English...
It seems that part of the tennis training is learning English and nobody who doesnt speak it is entitled to play on official tournaments of thr ATP or WTA because the knowledge of English makes you a better tennis player(HA HA HA)..I do not understand why the viewers dont learn some Spanish to understand the TV interviews with Nadal (and the same runs for the journalists who think that the only language in the world is English and do not bother to learn other languages)...Tennis is played all over the world and is a universal sport....so you must consider that all the languages in the world are applicable to it...
It seems that part of the tennis training is learning English and nobody who doesnt speak it is entitled to play on official tournaments of thr ATP or WTA because the knowledge of English makes you a better tennis player(HA HA HA)..I do not understand why the viewers dont learn some Spanish to understand the TV interviews with Nadal (and the same runs for the journalists who think that the only language in the world is English and do not bother to learn other languages)...Tennis is played all over the world and is a universal sport....so you must consider that all the languages in the world are applicable to it...
xxxabc123xxx
New User
Yes it is..nobody is saying that it is a requirement to speak english, but to have broad appeal to the biggest audience, speaking English is preferable.
The three biggest market of tennis are the USA, the UK and Australia.
Tennis declined in popularity in the US because there is not an American at the top. Once Pete started his decline, so did tennis in the states.
The rivalries like Conners-McEnroe, Sampras-Agassi were when tennis was at it's peaks in the US. I know a lot of posters think the world revolves around Nadal or Federer, but when you get outside the tennis community, the average Joe doesn't really give crap about either of them.
The only thing outside of an American being at the top that will help tennis in the US, is a really competitive field for the #1 slot with it changing all the time, or some really great rivalries with extremely contrasting styles. (Eg S&Ver vs baseliners) But even that is pretty much gone because most top players now have very similar styles. I know we can see difference between Nadal and Fed, but not the general public.
The rivalries like Conners-McEnroe, Sampras-Agassi were when tennis was at it's peaks in the US. I know a lot of posters think the world revolves around Nadal or Federer, but when you get outside the tennis community, the average Joe doesn't really give crap about either of them.
The only thing outside of an American being at the top that will help tennis in the US, is a really competitive field for the #1 slot with it changing all the time, or some really great rivalries with extremely contrasting styles. (Eg S&Ver vs baseliners) But even that is pretty much gone because most top players now have very similar styles. I know we can see difference between Nadal and Fed, but not the general public.
marpiw
Semi-Pro
Cant Speak English 2........
Nobody can forbid a player of becoming worlds number one....because he doesnt speak English...he has only to play good tennis...and thats all...
You have growing markets for tennis in the European Community,South Eastern Asia(including China) and South America up to the Mexican-American border...and these markets are fundamentally non English speaking markets ...even if some people do speak some English as a second or third language...I think you must take these facts also into account...(and i am forgetting to quote Africa,the Middle East and all the new countries that were parts of the ex-Soviet Union,actual Russia included)...
Nobody can forbid a player of becoming worlds number one....because he doesnt speak English...he has only to play good tennis...and thats all...
You have growing markets for tennis in the European Community,South Eastern Asia(including China) and South America up to the Mexican-American border...and these markets are fundamentally non English speaking markets ...even if some people do speak some English as a second or third language...I think you must take these facts also into account...(and i am forgetting to quote Africa,the Middle East and all the new countries that were parts of the ex-Soviet Union,actual Russia included)...
Yes I agree - America has given us great players in the past and I always hope we will see someone with that special talent coming from the states - like that amazing swimmer we have just seen in the olympics
Atherton2003
Hall of Fame
How many points will Nadal lead Fed and Nole by?
r2473
G.O.A.T.
That is my favorite word in the English language.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
^^ You shouldn't call someone an idiot, just ignore them if you don't like their post.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
This is a great point, people relate to Nadal more, he's blue-collar-worker and humble.
veritech
Hall of Fame
just because he plays a grinder type game and wears sleeveless shirts doesn't make him blue-collar.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
Well I consider Nadal blue-collar because he relies on hard work to win, as opposed to Federer relying on natural ability and grace. They do seem like opposites. And Federer seems like he wants to do commercials and public things more to impress the public. Nadal is low-key and clearly a gym-rat (which Federer is clearly not).
veritech
Hall of Fame
nice points. i don't like federer because he wears cardigans and/or because he's a swiss, and i don't like nadal because he's spanish or wears certain clothing. i grew up admiring how they play. their skills attracted me, and their skills kept me into the sport.
veritech
Hall of Fame
federer does play for every point, just like nadal. being a grinder isn't the only way to win points and play tennis. execution and technique are as important. how would you measure natural ability? by playing style?
one thing i like about federer is that he's not muscular but indeed very fit. he shows you (well for me at least, i don't know if many feel the same) that tennis doesn't require buffness and utmost physical prowess. if you just hit the courts, practice, and stay conditioned, you'll improve on your tennis.
and yeah, federer seems more photogenic than nadal. but in a way, it's good for tennis. i mean, he is ultimately advertising for the game.
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Well that depends. Some people like Federer's style. People like his personality because although on the surface he didn't seem like much, he could blow anybody away. Others also like Nadal's intensive but humble personality. We all have our preferences and there is no perfection, who knows, Nadal may change, people's preferences may change. You never know.
Federer contributed to the decline of tennis? In the short run maybe but in the long run he raised the bar by a considerable margin and because of that in many people's books he will always be a man who made a contribution to tennis.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
OK I was accused of not providing a link so here it is (sorry it took me so long): LalistaWIP.com, it's a list of the most popular (most often mentioned on the internet) people in the world that they establish through robots that can analyze millions of internet pages (a kind of google that can register internet activity). Nadal is actually #2 in the world (after Beckham) and #1 in Spain for sports personalities and #28 overall in the general list (George Bush is first!!) It's kind of fun to read how it works but it's in Spanish so you have to understand the language... (Apparently I was wrong about Federer, he's not in the top 100, sorry)
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veroniquem
Bionic Poster
I agree with you, Nadal is friendly with the Royal family, plays golf and makes millions, hardly a blue-collar lifestyle! However what makes him close to the people is a very down-to-earth personality, a belief in hard work, simple values (family, childhood friends, loyalty to one's roots) and a convivial attitude (never looking down on common people).just because he plays a grinder type game and wears sleeveless shirts doesn't make him blue-collar.
veritech
Hall of Fame
that's why i like nadal. it just doesn't seem like i do on these forums, since there are so many nadal fans that irritate me. and you can't really blame federer and nadal, or any top 10er for living the good life, making millions, and hanging out with celebrities. but the last point you made is why i like federer and nadal. they're good role models and both show lots of respect to their peers. for the OP to state that federer contributed to the decline of tennis is insane. they both are great people to look up to.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
Most people I've ever met seem to really love Nadal and have negative things to say about Federer, often calling him a snob.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
On the one hand, a great player can never be bad for tennis and Federer has been successful, admired or respected and well liked. On the other hand, it's not insulting Federer to say that Nadal is more charismatic: he exteriorizes his emotions much more, his look and playing style are more spectacular or modern, he is more of a hunk (yes I know some people are gonna sneer but do a search on youtube and you'll see what I mean...)
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grizzly4life
Professional
i've become quite a nadal admirer over the last 18 months, but i'll say that i think tennis' popularity will plummet with nadal and joker as top 2............. for whatever reason, nadal doesn't resonate like he should with the general population and joker just isn't terribly likeable..........
bloomberg had an interesting article right after wimbledon about how nadal hasn't made an enormous amount from endorsements. for sure, it will go up after wimbledon, but i don't really know why he isn't more popular. he should be. english as second language??? hasn't hurt maria though.
i think federer really drove a resurgence in tennis popularity... i guess nadal can do the same if he goes on a huge federer-like dominance run. although, on second thought, i think fed-nadal rivalry has alot to do with tennis' popularity. and unless fed makes some drastic changes, i think that's over.
bloomberg had an interesting article right after wimbledon about how nadal hasn't made an enormous amount from endorsements. for sure, it will go up after wimbledon, but i don't really know why he isn't more popular. he should be. english as second language??? hasn't hurt maria though.
i think federer really drove a resurgence in tennis popularity... i guess nadal can do the same if he goes on a huge federer-like dominance run. although, on second thought, i think fed-nadal rivalry has alot to do with tennis' popularity. and unless fed makes some drastic changes, i think that's over.
grizzly4life
Professional
LOL, i think you have to get out more...... i agree fed is somewhat arrogant, but i don't think alot see it and/or that it affects his popularity.......... out of interest, what country do you live in??
TheTruth
G.O.A.T.
Well put. I don't see him as blue collar either.
Pwned
Hall of Fame
I find it amusing that users are posting about the character of players. Does anyone actually know Nadal or Federer? To make judgements based on how they look seems completely wrong. And both show class in post match interviews. Beyond that, where could one gather that either is classless or a snob or whatever?
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
But I think even Federer's worst is better than Djok's best. Djok can't beat Federer on grass or clay. So it'll be Nadal and Federer as the top 2 for many years to come.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
Well, I'm not posting what I think of the players personally, because I don't know them. I'm posting what people (tennis fans that I know) think about them. How the players are perceived. Nadal is viewed in very affectionate terms by virtually everyone I speak to about tennis. Federer's pereceived image is wide-ranging (mostly negative).
Nadal_Freak
Banned
I disagree. It is now Nadal and Djokovic. Fed is yesterdays news as anyone that get up there in age. Djokovic always gives Nadal the toughest matches so I expect it to be that way until someone else comes out of the works. Del Potro or Gulbis could be threats.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
OK, I read that article and it was really silly, I don't think the author had the slightest clue about his subject. First of all, Nadal has made an enormous amount of money from endorsements and sponsors: from Nike to Babolat (10 year contract) to Kia, Loreal, watches etc, etc. He has never said exactly how much but Toni has hinted that it was a lot. Maybe you haven't noticed that Nadal is one of Nike's main stars. They're investing a lot in his outfits, image, ads, photo ops... Why do you think that would be, humanitarian generosity? Lol. You think they would invest so much in him if it didn't bring them big bucks? You're either crazy or you don't understand what Nike stands for.
And apparently you haven't noticed either how most kids are trying to imitate Nadal's style and look. Sorry but your post is way off the mark. Actually if you read the general press instead of that inane bloomberg snippet, you would find out that Nadal has a "rock star" following and is a "crowd favorite". Hang around the tournaments grounds some time and you'll see what they mean.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
Huh? How does Djok beat Federer on clay and grass? Thats 2 slams per year that Djok has no chance at. It's incomprehensible to believe Djok could beat Federer on those surfaces even in 3 years time, theres a big gap between top2 and everyone else. I'd even say Federer can beat Djok on hardcourt.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
I think Nadal is doing what Michael Jordan did for basketball. Jordan seemed cool and hip despite being an elite individual. He never seemed like a snob. Nadal has the same 2-pronged domination.
Nadal_Freak
Banned
Djokovic only played Fed once on clay and he had strep throat. He is clearly better than Fed this year. Only on grass is Fed better. Djokovic will be number 2 soon.
veritech
Hall of Fame
i still fail to see how nadal is more charismatic than federer. and i also fail to see that his playing style and look is more "modern." if you ask me all tennis players wear the same stuff. they wear nothing spectacular, on and off the court. that's including federer, excluding his wimbledon attires.
i don't know about you, but here in the state of california, in the city i live, the people i've spoken to have nothing but praise for federer and his dominance.
mostly negative? like i said, federer mainly is the topic of tennis when i speak about it to my friends and acquaintances. federer for the most part has a positive image. how do you think he gained so many fans, and kept them?
and nadal being very affectionate? i'm not going to argue against that, but i've never heard anyone say anything liek that about him. how do you even show affection on the tennis court and in the public? save a dog?
veritech
Hall of Fame
jordan was one of basketball's biggest snobs. he talked the most smack, was arrogant, and had a large sum of money. he was very arrogant.
veritech
Hall of Fame
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
I said "Nadal is viewed in very affectionate terms by virtually everyone I speak to about tennis." That doesn't mean Nadal is affectionate lol
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
NBA players are supposed to trash talk. It's not a pansy's game you know. Not saying tennis is a pansy's game but it is compared to many other sports. Trash talking is a game of psyching, and you have to be strong mentally to overcome it. It's part of basketball. Although I personally just ignore trashing-talkers, its only words, and I don't take offense at it. Nothing arrogant about trash-talking.
LOL just because Jordan had a lot of money it doesn't make him a snob. He never acted like a snob, he was always gracious in interviews and lay-back, never uptight or rude.
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
Agree to disagree on that one considering Federer is winning all the big claycourt events that Nadal doesn't win. There is a massive gap between Nadal and Federer on clay, but Federer doesn't even drop a set on clay before he reaches the Final. No evidence yet of Federer losing to anyone on clay except for Nadal. Plus you can count on Federer trying to win RG for as long as he lives to complete the slam (which he would do if Nadal ever gets injured).
anbu4ever11
Semi-Pro
as to the thread i say it will, hes very aggresive like and i know tennis here wouldnt seem as lame because of it.idk fed just kinda brought back the whole classy thing like its idk for the people wearing polos and suite jackets.heck i found tennis because my first lessons the guy was a football/tennis player and was built and i was like well hey its not that lame as it looks if they got people like him playing.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
Sorry but a cardigan is not modern, neither is a polo shirt or a man's purse. Everything is done (imagewise) to associate Federer with the ultimate "classic player", Rod Laver type. I'm not saying Fed is truly like that but that's certainly the way his sponsors are marketing him. He tends to be kind of contained, reserved and calm, sometimes even haughty on court and that goes well with the image of a player representing tradition. Now contrast that with sleeveless shirts, capris and explosive "vamos" and if you can't see how that's the "hip young" style, then I can't do anything for you!
About the last part of your post, you may not show affection on a court but you sure show emotion and Nadal has always behaved more emotionally during a match than Federer. The audience relates to stuff like that. (and by audience I mean TV viewers, not just the people in the stands. TV viewers actually relate more to the emotions because of the camera close-ups)
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NADALwonWIMBLEDONagain
Guest
I think about 80% of the mainstream (as in non-tennis fans) girls in the world would be in Nadal's corner. I continually hear them praising him.
veritech
Hall of Fame
what i'm saying is that nadal and jordan are entirely different, in terms of attitude and sports achievements/accomplishments.
jordan having lots of money, being arrogant, is a good indication for being a snob. jordan was more photogenic, and i've heard in the past he was an *******. but he was still the greatest player ever, and i watched every season he played in.
jordan had lots of money
veritech
Hall of Fame
sorry. misread.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
It really reminds me of Agassi-Sampras: Sampras had a "serious" tennis fan following and Agassi was the sex symbol!
veritech
Hall of Fame
polo shirts not modern? i wear polo shirts all the time, and so do many people i know. i wear cardigans and sweaters over my button up shirts, do i dress old fashioned? i wear it because it's a style, a style that many companies market to.
and i think his silence and calmness on the court has nothing to do with his image, but rather supports his playing. me and my buddies can relate to roger more than we do nadal, since we don't play nadal's style, we don't wear shirts that show your buffness, we don't wear capris.
and federer shows emotion rarely, but he shows it during big points. that's enough exuberance for me. and some people actually think it's very intriguing how he stays so calm and composed at such tough moments.
veritech
Hall of Fame
i loved sampras and i wasn't too liking of agassi. i guess that's why i like federer's style. quiet, lets his game speak, reserved, didn't dress showing his muscles.
