In My Humble Opinion Tennis, anyone?

Author: Daniel Roberts

So did you watch the men's final Sunday night? You know, Roddick vs. Federer? You have no idea what I am talking about? No surprise there. Apparently even the U.S. Open, the biggest event in Tennis, is unable to draw as many viewers as any World Series game or Superbowl. It is not even close.

For some reason, it seems like tennis cannot reach the level of popularity that sports like football and baseball have achieved. A week ago, I was in the tiny Lucky Brand store where I worked this summer selling jeans to wealthy, middle-aged Chestnut Hill, Mass. mommies for $118 a pair. I was with my manager and a co-worker. I was bored and asked, "So, you guys watchin' the Open tonight?" I was answered by two vacant looks. "Huh?" asked the Boston College kid. I might as well have been speaking German. "Nobody cares about tennis," said my manager firmly. Granted, her credibility is limited since she is only 26 and wears "cute" outfits to work, like this one billowy thing that looks like the puffy pirate shirt (yarr!) from that classic Seinfeld episode.

Still, I think she had a point. Not many people today watch professional tennis. So what exactly is the problem? Football gives us more bone-crushing contact (tackles, sacks) and I guess it can be thrilling to see a big slugger murder a baseball into the grand stand. Yet these obvious differences in the sports do nothing to help us out.

In 2005, due to dropping ratings, CBS moved the women's singles final to Saturday night to attract more interest. In addition, all advanced round men's matches were brought to primetime. Better tennis ratings? Yes - but still not great.

For a while there, it seemed like Andre Agassi was re-igniting the public's interest in tennis. The Gillette commercials helped his appeal, along with a marriage to Stephie Graf. Yet after losing to Benjamin Becker, his reign ended in retirement. This led sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy to ask, "which young star will now step up to take Agassi's place as the player keeping your average tennis fan excited about the sport?" It could be Andy Roddick, whose snarky American Express commercial with Pong gives him a likeable side, I guess. That is, if you're into cocky, good looking athletes who guest host on SNL and wear Lacoste from head to toe.

Shaughnessy likes James Blake, an African-American from Yonkers whose biggest fans, the "J-Block," cheer him on at all his matches. Blake bounced back from a gruesome neck injury in 2004 to eventually become today's second-highest ranked American. Still, everyone's favorite hero may now be Switzerland-born Federer, because he is simply the best, and besides, who likes Americans anyway?

Still, "The Fed" cannot take Agassi's place because he is just too good. That might sound stupid, but honestly, how fun is it to root for the guy that always wins? It looks like pro tennis needs something else - some fresh new TV twist to attract more than just college players and old men who used to play before their hip replacements. Maybe they should set up a pyramid of ten giant, red Dixie cups on each side of the court? And paint the balls white? Oh, and fill those cups with beer? Just a thought...