SORRY I originally posted this on the other thread!!
If I were to give my reasons of why I would rate the WTF over OG then it would be this.
These are MY REASONS and MY OPINIONS. Not facts obviously!
1. It is worth significantly more points.
Let's think about this for a second. Tournaments are given ranking points based on their importance and difficulty level. Thats why Slams are given 2000 points. Masters are given 1000 and below that you have 500 and 250 and so on and so forth. Now winning the Olympics will give you 750. Winning the WTF on the other hand gives you 1500. In the Olympics you probably will not meet a top 8 player till at least the QF's. Here, every match you play is against one.
2. You have to QUALIFY for it.
Players have to play year round and gain enough points and end the season within the top 8 to qualify for this event. Almost 10 months of struggle = a spot in this tournament. Not even the slams make you work as hard just to get a spot. Only 8 players out of so many others get a chance to play so the difficulty level just to qualify is HUGE.
3. It gets far more coverage, viewership, sponsorship and spectators than the TENNIS Olympics and fans LOVE IT. (Keep in mind not the Olympics as a whole)
Firstly the 02 Arena is the second biggest arena that tennis is played in only after Arthur Ashe Stadium. It can house 17,500 people. The O2 is mainly used for huge concerts and the fact that they are able to hire the place shows they are making big bucks. When I wanted to watch the Olympic tennis matches, I found myself not being able to find the matches on any channel. ESPN didn't have it, Tennis Channel did not have it, nor did most other sports networks. But for the World Tour Finals ESPN had it, Tennis Channel had it, Skysports had it and so did many others. It shows that it is a much BIGGER event with more fans flocking to see it. Boris Becker said it draws more crowds than he had ever seen in non-slam tournaments and just the overall buzz is amazing. He said its an "instant classic". The Olympics on the other hand.....not really that watched. Tennis Olympics that is. Remember its the FAN BASE that has the last word. They carry everything.
4. Tennis is not a nationalistic sport and the Olympics is turning it into one
The beautiful thing about tennis is that you pick your players based on their style, game and personality. Which is quite different from how you pick your football/soccer, American football and Basketball teams. Tennis brings people together because you could be from Mumbai or NYC and still be cheering for the same guy. The problem I have with the Olympics (and Davis Cup) is that it seeks to make the sport a nationalistic thing. Now think about it. Let's say I was British but my favorite player was Roger Federer. So in the Olympics final, if I don't cheer for Andy Murray I basically feel like a traitor or an outcast. The Olympics and Davis Cup create unnecessary divide amongst people. Stop turning Tennis into a nationalistic sport!!
5. Not everyone is that Patriotic
When a person wins Davis Cup or the Olympic Medal then THEY dont win it. The nation does. People in the center court last year were chanting TEAM GB. So if Scotland were to break from the rest of GB (I know it won't happen but for argument's sake) and Andy Murray still felt strongly about Scotland, the gold medal would not follow him. Britain would still keep it. So the point I'm making here is that its not an individual achievement but a national achievement. Nadal has not won Davis Cup. Spain won Davis Cup which Nadal happened to be a part of. That would be like saying Rooney has won the EPL or Ronaldo has won La Liga when it is United and Madrid that have won it. Not everyone is patriotic! its a fact! So why would you try so hard to get a medal which is not really your individual achievement if you are not patriotic to begin with?? WTF is an individual achievement for which you have to qualify for and then win beating the top players. WTF is a common ground for all players. You are playing for YOURSELF and YOU want to win.
6. Most GOAT Candidates (Except Nadal) or Ex GOAT candidates don't have it.
Laver, Rosewall, Pancho, Sampras, Borg, and Federer. But Laver, Rosewall, Sampras and Federer have all won the WTF, WCT or YEC. (not sure about Pancho). So if one has to be used as a measuring stick it has to be an INDIVIDUAL achievement, and something that most of the greats have done IMO.
So in my book, I would rate the WTF over the Gold Medal any day. I would rather win the WTF hands down. Personally!