American Men's Tennis Did Something Cool
| 23
|
(Pleats note: I know this isn't about the Big 3, but just go with me for a moment)
Newsflash: The United States men won the Davis Cup for the first time in 12 years.
What? You didn't hear about that?
Well, take heart, because I am ashamed to admit I didn't either until someone told me. (Ashamed because people think I'm supposed to know this stuff). I didn't even watch a single point of the entire Davis Cup. They beat Russia, by the way. And the Davis Cup, is an international team tennis event akin to the World Cup in soccer, an event that the American men have won 32 times since 1900.
And no one even knows it took place. Why? Because, as much as I hate to admit this, American men's tennis is just not relevant.
Unfortunately, I think American men's tennis would be more popular if there wasn't this guy named Roger Federer around. I've had enough of seeing Andy Roddick and James Blake make it to the semis and finals of a tournament just to see them ultimately lose to Federer or someone else - but mainly Fed.
If they didn't get dealt with so handily, then perhaps it might be sort of interesting to watch them play. It's not really fun when you know someone is not going to win. I've seen Roddick play (and lose very badly) to Federer enough times to know that this guy just has his number, maybe for life. Once he or Blake, or some other American breaks through against Fed for the first time, or Fed retires then maybe people will start watching again. Even then, I see another hungry Fed-like player right behind him.
Add that to tennis just not being anywhere close to football (or even basketball, for that matter) in the realm of interesting sporting events going on in December. It really hasn't seen a serious fan base in this country since even before Sampras and Agassi came on the scene.
And, I have seen the new crop of players coming up and the sad part is that there are just not as many kids playing anymore. It's just not as popular.
People will watch a Federer match at least once just to see what the hype is about. I'd put money on the fact that fewer Americans have seen Roddick and Blake combined play than have watched a Federer match.
Because the American men are not winning, they haven't really drawn people in or received the endorsements. Because Blake may be a nice-looking guy, but you have to have some on-court results to get Anna Kournikova publicity if you're a man.
Will this Davis Cup win do more for their popularity here? Maybe. But if you didn't know that they'd even won the Davis Cup before you read this post, then I think we have our answer right here.
Stay tuned tomorrow when I will give my theories on why the American men's tennis is not as good as it could be, and my 10 suggestions for making it better . . .
( Cross-published at Pleats 'n Cleats)
