Talk About Tennis 2.0

Federer doesn't play every match, so how could people be tuning in just for him? It's his thing for sure, but I think we're attaching too much to Roger here in terms of what occurs in this exhibition. There are like 10 matches played in this exo and he plays in like 3 of them. It's not as if the others get no viewers and have no appeal on their own.

Exhibitions that mirror the Laver Cup tend to have TV contracts. Things did exist before him and were successful, the player just wasn't the owner/organizer as well, so maybe that's why you're attaching so much value to just him.

You guys do realize this is supposed to be like the Ryder Cup, right? Laver Cup isn't going anywhere.

Tournaments sometimes don't survive the change in local circumstances. You might remember the highly lucrative Grand Slam Cup held in Munich in the 90-ties. It folded with Becker's retirement and the general loss of enthusiasm about tennis in Germany.

Also, since you guys are attaching so much value to Roger here in terms playing, I should add that you should have more faith in his business acumen. He's exceptionally skilled where his business interests are concerned. He didn't come up with this idea for it to die with him. He was indeed trying to create the Ryder Cup for tennis and succeeded. Him and Tony plan on this being an institution in the sport and you should have every faith that they've got all their ducks in a row to make that happen.

I realize there are bigger Roger fans on this forum, but I am probably the biggest fan of his business acumen. Don't doubt it. He knows what he's doing.

Also the rotation of sites where it's held allows them to follow the biggest stars that are being featured if they choose.

My doubts come from the fact that it is a EUROPE Vs Rest of the world. Tennis right now has the ATP cup, the new Davis Cup and the Laver Cup. We did talk about this maybe being overkill.
Laver Cup with Rafa and Roger playing is very different than Laver Cup, starring Shapo, Felix, Daniil and Matteo. Sure, it can be moved around, but there is no real nationalistic value to it (which is, for example, the ATP's and Davis' cup calling card).

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:45 pm My doubts come from the fact that it is a EUROPE Vs Rest of the world. Tennis right now has the ATP cup, the new Davis Cup and the Laver Cup. We did talk about this maybe being overkill.
Laver Cup with Rafa and Roger playing is very different than Laver Cup, starring Shapo, Felix, Daniil and Matteo. Sure, it can be moved around, but there is no real nationalistic value to it (which is, for example, the ATP's and Davis' cup calling card).

The matchups at Laver Cup are head and shoulders above the other two on a consistent basis, no need to watch the 250th ranked players from Greece and Austria because Tsitsipas and Thiem got their countries qualified. If the power base in tennis shifts, then the X vs. Y can shift similar to Ryder Cup. And I'm sure they'll figure out a way to comfort themselves with something other than nationalism.

JazzNU wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:08 pm The matchups at Laver Cup are head and shoulders above the other two on a consistent basis, no need to watch the 250th ranked players from Greece and Austria because Tsitsipas and Thiem got their countries qualified. If the power base in tennis shifts, then the X vs. Y can shift similar to Ryder Cup. And I'm sure they'll figure out a way to comfort themselves with something other than nationalism.

^ I completely disagree. I'd much rather watch a Davis Cup / Fed Cup match with the 250th ranked player who, with genuine pride, is trying his/her absolute best for the country in spite of enormous odds against him/her than watch a bunch of rich guys get richer by playing completely meaningless matches (at least some of whose results are very likely pre-decided) at the Laver Cup.

That said, the powers that be are trying rather desperately to ruin Davis Cup - and are sadly succeeding.

PRESS RELEASE

4 August 2021
TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC TENNIS EVENT - BY THE NUMBERS

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event finished on Sunday 1 August after nine days of thrilling action at the Ariake Tennis Park. While these Games were like none that came before them, they still offered athletes from across the world the chance to represent their nations and compete for Olympic glory.

The event culminated with five exciting gold medal matches, with the champions in all five tennis events winning their first Olympic gold medals. Tennis returns to Tokyo in just over three weeks’ time, with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event – which will see 104 players compete across men’s, women’s and quad wheelchair events – running from Friday 27 August to Saturday 4 September.

The competition has been enjoyed by sports fans around the world, with millions tuning in on TV and following online. Since mid-July, ITF social media accounts have provided comprehensive coverage of tennis at the Olympics, resulting in 137million impressions and 6.5million engagements.

ITF President David Haggerty said: “We were delighted to see the world’s best tennis players represent their nations in search of Olympic glory. Once again, the players have shown how much competing for an Olympic medal means to them and I would like to congratulate all the athletes who won medals in Tokyo.

“I would like to pay tribute to all the staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make to make the Olympic Tennis Event a success, as well as the Tokyo 2020 organising committee (TOCOG), the government of Japan and the IOC. We are already looking forward to Paralympic Wheelchair Tennis Event in Tokyo later this month.”

We take a look at some of the key numbers and statistics from the event:



1 – Swiss woman to win Olympic gold in history following Belinda Bencic’s victory at Tokyo 2020

2 – former Youth Olympic Games medallists who won medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event, with Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev becoming the first tennis players to win medals at the Youth Olympics and the Olympics

2 – gold medal matches contested by teams from the same nation, with an all-Croatian men’s doubles final and all-ROC mixed doubles final

3 – medals won by ROC, the most of any nation at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

3 – nations to win medals at the Olympic Tennis Event for the first time: Brazil, New Zealand and Ukraine

4 – tennis players who carried their nation’s flag at the Opening Ceremony: Veronica Cepede Royg, Petra Kvitova, Yen-Hsun Lu and Jelena Ostapenko

4 – match points saved by Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani in the match tiebreak in the women’s doubles bronze medal match before defeating Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina to win Brazil’s first-ever medal in tennis at the Olympics

5 – nations to win gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event: Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, ROC and Switzerland

10 – nations to win medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event overall

13 – nations to contest medal matches at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

29 – players who reached medal matches at Tokyo 2020, with Belinda Bencic, Novak Djokovic and Elena Vesnina reaching two medal matches each

30 – nations which have won Olympic medals in tennis since the sport returned to returned to the Games as a full medal sport at Seoul 1988

33 – years since Germany had won a gold medal in singles, with Alexander Zverev becoming the first German player to win Olympic singles gold since Steffi Graf at Seoul 1988

45 – nations who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

190 – players who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

203 – minutes that Marin Cilic’s and Joao Menezes’ men’s singles first round match lasted, the longest match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

208 – matches that were played at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Tennis Event

My own crystal ball predicted this one few months ago. There will be no Chinese tournaments on either tour till late 2022 at the earliest.

I'm putting this here because I don't know how to classify the Laver Cup. If you guys feel it deserves it's own thread I'll move it.

The WTA will have two new $125k tournaments in South America this November.

November 1 Dow Tennis Classic

Argentina Open
Buenos Aires, Argentina
$125,000 – Clay – 32S/16Q/16D
Singles Draw – Doubles Draw

November 15 Uruguay Open

Montevideo, Uruguay
$125,000 – Clay – 32S/16Q/16D
Singles Draw – Doubles Draw

Looks like these weren't posted anywhere. Team World a little heavy on the MAGA, looking forward to Seb and Frances rising enough to take their places.

It feels like this is a more even competition between World & Europe than in previous editions, though still an advantage to Europe.