Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
....in about 3 to 5 years when all the current multi-grand slam winners, aka top 5 players, are long gone?
In other words, do you see the newcomers be able to attract and retain fans like Federer-Nadal-Djokovic did?
I must admit that I haven't watched much tennis in a few years now. Ever since Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras left, I never found a true favorite to keep up with. I always liked Agassi's "rebel" style with the long hair and three day old beard, and then later on with the "pirate" look. But, I liked the fact that everybody bagged him for being all style and no substance with his game, and then it just finally clicked with him. I loved that him and Sampras had such a fun rivalry all throughout the years. One thing I had hoped from the Agassi era is that he made tennis more attractive to all types of kids, not just the "Richie Rich" kids who's parents belonged to the local country club.
I must admit that I haven't watched much tennis in a few years now. Ever since Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras left, I never found a true favorite to keep up with. I always liked Agassi's "rebel" style with the long hair and three day old beard, and then later on with the "pirate" look. But, I liked the fact that everybody bagged him for being all style and no substance with his game, and then it just finally clicked with him. I loved that him and Sampras had such a fun rivalry all throughout the years. One thing I had hoped from the Agassi era is that he made tennis more attractive to all types of kids, not just the "Richie Rich" kids who's parents belonged to the local country club.
The rivalry between Agassi and Sampras is nothing in comparision to Federal vs Nadal vs Djokovic.
The rivalry between Agassi and Sampras is nothing in comparision to Federal vs Nadal vs Djokovic.
Agree Agassi-Sampras was a one-sided rivalry, but so was Federer-Nadal for the most part.
The passing of the torch at Wimby 2008 was what it is most remembered for.
Nadal-Djoker has been the most intense, with Nadal having the early running, then Djoker 2011-2012 AO, then a Nadal resurgence, esp in 2013, when he swept the Number 1 back, before the turnaround after 2014 RG and Djoker dominance again.
Djoker-Federer was similar, with Fed initially in charge, before Djoker took over this rivalry.
But will it lose fans once they go?
I think not, have been following this sport since the 1980s, was a Lendl fan back then, and saw changing of the guard and fierce rivalries of Borg-Mac-Connors-Lendl-Wilander, then Becker-Edberg etc.
The sport survived all of these, it will survive the departure of Fedalovic. (Federer-Nadal-Djokovic).
We just may never see 3 double digit Major champions all at once like this again.
tennis has survived the retirement of a lot of stars in the past, chris everet, martina navratilova, billie jean king, authur ashe, john mcenroe, boris becker, jimmey conners.
like other sports, new stars will emerge and they will get their fan base, and perhaps even attract new fans as well. and like the players of the games, the fans also change. they get old and die off, they become disinterested in the sport, they change sports, etc.
There are no great American make tennis players, yet the sport is still doing okay in the US.
At some point there will be an American male who can regularly make the quarters of majors and that will only help
What if such male American never show up in the next decade? All it takes is one top Australian, and two European to keep a male American from dominating.
What if such male American never show up in the next decade? All it takes is one top Australian, and two European to keep a male American from dominating.
that may be right now, but what happens when the next jimmy conners or john mcenroe steps up? and what if they show up at about the same time?
The rivalry between Agassi and Sampras is nothing in comparision to Federal vs Nadal vs Djokovic.
Eh, maybe not. All's I know is that the era of Agassi and Sampras was my favorite. As well as Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Navratilova. I loved Jimmy Conners and John McEnroe as well, but admittedly, I came into tennis on the tail end of their careers. Where I live, there is plenty of interest in tennis. In fact, one of the smaller professional tournaments is played about 30 minutes from my house. Most all of the area schools have tennis teams, and the academies all seem to be packed during the spring and summer, even into the later part of fall.
I do think tennis needs a big American star. Someone who is outspoken, flashy, but is a great player. Agassi was the perfect mix of that.
I do think tennis needs a big American star. Someone who is outspoken, flashy, but is a great player. Agassi was the perfect mix of that.
Really? I thought that would be Andy Roddick.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
