The future of tennis

Dhoni Dakurri

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What is the future of this sport?

Covid will continue to impact the staging of tournaments possibly for years to come, and certainly the credibility of majors representing the ultimate test for all professionals.

Players are losing credibility with the public because of their stance against various issues such as quarantining, anti-vaccinations, lead by very prominent players - ie: Djokovic.

And - a huge factor IMO: the eventual retirements of Federer and Nadal. Ask the average person if they can name anyone else in the top 10 and they would have a clue.

I used to be a complete tennis tragic, but now I can’t remember the last match time I tuned into a match. Djokovic was probably my favourite players, and I admired his defensive skills and rise from war torn ruins to the best in the world. Now he is hated, and rightly so.

The sport is on its last legs I feel.
 
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Between Federer, Nadal and Serena Williams retiring, potential sponsors and tv stations bleeding money due to COVID, you would be expecting a fair dip in prizemoney moving forward that is for sure. There is no way the current income levels will be sustainable, particularly outside grand slams.
 

The City Boyz

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Between Federer, Nadal and Serena Williams retiring, potential sponsors and tv stations bleeding money due to COVID, you would be expecting a fair dip in prizemoney moving forward that is for sure. There is no way the current income levels will be sustainable, particularly outside grand slams.
interesting you say that, the head of the ATP was talking about a mass increase post-COVID
could mean we see more Chinese or Middle Eastern tournaments
 

The City Boyz

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What is the future of this sport?

Covid will continue to impact the staging of tournaments possibly for years to come, and certainly the credibility of majors representing the ultimate test for all professionals.

Players are losing credibility with the public because of their stance against various issues such as quarantining, anti-vaccinations, lead by very prominent players - ie: Djokovic.

And - a huge factor IMO: the eventual retirements of Federer and Nadal. Ask the average person if they can name anyone else in the top 10 and they would have a clue.

I used to be a complete tennis tragic, but now I can’t remember the last match time I tuned into a match. Djokovic was probably my favourite players, and I admired his defensive skills and rise from war torn ruins to the best in the world. Now he is hated, and rightly so.

The sport is on its last legs I feel.
I'd shudder to think where the future of tennis would be at without Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios

He's genuinely in the top three most popular Australian athletes, particularly amongst the youth
 
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For the WTA, the biggest issue is China. A lot of tournaments and money comes from a country which can break ties very quickly with any country or organisation very easily. Serena will be a big loss in the US market, but they have a ready made replacement in Osaka. her stand last year regarding BLM resonated with many Americans. She has been in a lot of promotional magazines recently to reflect that.

ATP, they will find a way. I have no doubt the tour won't grow much in the next decade but big names will always come and go. They need time and the limelight to do so. Players like Tsitsipas have too much personality to not become a star.

Covid could be a blessing. It might stop all the civil ways in the governance of tennis. or it could go the other way. things might not grow over the next decade but the tennis will never go away. It is a world sport and its biggest stars will always be some of the most well known in the whole world.
 
I'd shudder to think where the future of tennis would be at without Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios

He's genuinely in the top three most popular Australian athletes, particularly amongst the youth

There is where the world has gone mad - Kyrgios' inane tweets which have no sense of nuance now make him according to society, and particularly the media, make him the voice of reason - Maybe if he actually played tennis in 2020 he would get more perspective on life.
 
I'd shudder to think where the future of tennis would be at without Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios

He's genuinely in the top three most popular Australian athletes, particularly amongst the youth

There is where the world has gone mad - Kyrgios' inane tweets which have no sense of nuance now make him according to the media make him the voice of reason - Maybe if he actually played tennis in 2020 like most professionals then he wouldn't have time for tweeting.
For the WTA, the biggest issue is China. A lot of tournaments and money comes from a country which can break ties very quickly with any country or organisation very easily. Serena will be a big loss in the US market, but they have a ready made replacement in Osaka. her stand last year regarding BLM resonated with many Americans. She has been in a lot of promotional magazines recently to reflect that.

ATP, they will find a way. I have no doubt the tour won't grow much in the next decade but big names will always come and go. They need time and the limelight to do so. Players like Tsitsipas have too much personality to not become a star.

Covid could be a blessing. It might stop all the civil ways in the governance of tennis. or it could go the other way. things might not grow over the next decade but the tennis will never go away. It is a world sport and its biggest stars will always be some of the most well known in the whole world.

Posted earlier that Grand Slam's provide 59% of revenue, ATP tour 32% and the WTA tour 9% - Grand Slams are fine for 2021, though if COVID drags on into 2022 ( which it shouldn't ) then you have an issue - ATP tour should be fine for 2021 BUT the WTA which heavily relies on China is problematic - At this stage, China is still not opening its borders to international sporting, though as most of these tournaments are in the second half of the year there is still hope - I'll also add that China needs to reopen it's borders if wishes to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics - Finally, I can see a merging of the ATP and the WTA in the next twelve months.
 
What is the future of this sport?

Covid will continue to impact the staging of tournaments possibly for years to come, and certainly the credibility of majors representing the ultimate test for all professionals.

Players are losing credibility with the public because of their stance against various issues such as quarantining, anti-vaccinations, lead by very prominent players - ie: Djokovic.

And - a huge factor IMO: the eventual retirements of Federer and Nadal. Ask the average person if they can name anyone else in the top 10 and they would have a clue.

I used to be a complete tennis tragic, but now I can’t remember the last match time I tuned into a match. Djokovic was probably my favourite players, and I admired his defensive skills and rise from war torn ruins to the best in the world. Now he is hated, and rightly so.

The sport is on its last legs I feel.
I tend to agree with that last line. Unfortunately
 

hamohawk1

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The sport is probably 10-20 years behind golf, which despite being on a downwards trajectory attracts big $$$.

Tennis will always have an attraction as a spectator sport too.
 
Tennis is hardly on it's last legs ! 100K for first round losers at a GS suggests there is strength in the game - There will be some bumps and bruises along the way because of COVID impacts but the sport will continue to grow - My only rider is I am not as bullish about the women's tour.
 

Dhoni Dakurri

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Oct 18, 2016
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Tennis is hardly on it's last legs ! 100K for first round losers at a GS suggests there is strength in the game - There will be some bumps and bruises along the way because of COVID impacts but the sport will continue to grow - My only rider is I am not as bullish about the women's tour.

Cob, the pay disparity between the top performers and the rest is as big as ever. Outside the top 70 you don’t break even. Yet the top 3 earn tens of millions. Yet people lose their minds when someone ranked 150 in the world playing on cracked concrete in a challenger in Mogadishu places a side bet on themselves so they can afford a night’s rest without the threat of being robbed.

In what other mainstream sport can you be the 70th best in the world and still struggle to make a living from it?
 

Dhoni Dakurri

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The sport is probably 10-20 years behind golf, which despite being on a downwards trajectory attracts big $$$.

Tennis will always have an attraction as a spectator sport too.

What makes you think golf is on a downwards trajectory, old sport?
 
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hamohawk1

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What makes you think golf is on a downwards trajectory, old sport?

Have heard anecdotal evidence from multiple golf club owners that participation pre-covid was trending down, and down fast.

Developers are now starting to buy parcels/ disused golf courses, with other Council's turning them back into parkland e.g. elsternwick.
 

Dhoni Dakurri

Cancelled
Oct 18, 2016
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AFL Club
West Coast
Have heard anecdotal evidence from multiple golf club owners that participation pre-covid was trending down, and down fast.

Developers are now starting to buy parcels/ disused golf courses, with other Council's turning them back into parkland e.g. elsternwick.

I’m a member of a golf club and believe me it’s quite the opposite. Golf memberships sky rocketed after Covid.
 
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