As I sit down to write this, Bubba just ate one of my dress socks. The 100 lb golden retriever chewed a few times and swallowed it whole. I was worried he was going to choke and die but apparently socks are a normal part of his diet, according to my friend. What happened to dogs chewing on normal things, like tennis balls?
Anyways, on to tennis and the U.S. Open. This year's tournament drew a record 715,587 fans, an increase of 12% over last year. The tournament's official website drew more than 30 million visits for the first time. Yet an American (hint, hint: Andy Roddick) still cannot beat Roger Federer.
What does this all mean for the state of tennis? For tennis in the US? I think all signs are pointing to tennis being a healthy sport in general. The attendance and website numbers show that interest in tennis is extremely high, at least around this major tournament. The U.S. Open reportedly rakes in over $100 million in profits; only events such as the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and FIFA World Cup (and possibly the Olympics) earn more. JPMorgan Chase recently renewed its U.S. Open sponsorship, which sources pegged at a cool $15 million per year. The WTA is in good shape too, with reportedly$110 million to spend as a result of signing deals with Doha, Istanbul and China to hold tournaments there.
So tennis overall is in good shape. But what about tennis in the US? I think tennis is doing good here, too. But there's always the talk about how most of the stars are foreign, and Americans like to see Americans dominating. Unless you've been hiding in your basement the last few years, you know that Swiss player Roger Federer is dominating the men's game. Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium just won the women's title and other foreign players, such as Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, are the rising stars on the women's side. Still, sometimes I wonder how much it matters if players are foreign. Of course, it would be great if Andy Roddick started dominating. But is it better for the sport if a bunch of random Americans were winning tournaments or if a foreign player like Federer (who you can build a good storyline around because he's so dominant) was winning? I guess the what-ifs don't matter, because the fact is, Federer is the man right now.
So, what do you think about the state of tennis overall and in the U.S.?