What does tennis need: Old Gen goals or Next Gen victories?
When we talk about change in the world of tennis we do not mean the ones made by reformatting the Davis Cup or the fifth set tie-break introduced at Wimbledon and at the Australian Open.
Let's talk about victories, entertainment and names. Are the victories of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal getting tiresome or are they still thrilling fans and crowds? Are their victories still necessary for the business that revolves around tennis, or it is time of some generational change? We can just see the final of the Australian Open 2019; again Novak Djokovic, again Rafael Nadal. Or Roger Federer's 100th ATP title.
In reality, the answer seems simple and even a little obvious. They serve both. Seeing a young player like Alexander Zverev winning at ATP World Tour Finals is good. But the German then disapponted in Melbourne.
But would seeing a Next Gen player triumph at a Major have the same value of a victory of Federer or Nadal or Djokovic? Maybe not yet. Perhaps, to see one of the Big Three again triumph in a Slam could still thrill the crowd, creates more media attention and call for different media coverage.
The change will happen, but the young players are perhaps not yet ready to take the baton from the Old Generation, because they do not yet have the charisma of the Big Three. The speech is different among women. The youngsters in the WTA are advancing and, unlike what is happening in the men's Tour, the generational turnover is faster. With Naomi Osaka who leads the women's Tour.
They are quickly becoming stars. They are getting fame, prestige and glory. And at the women's tour this change is bringing many benefits.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2GWi0cv
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