.jpg)
Rivalries and strong personalities have driven the public intrigue in tennis for almost a decade, but after several retirements and controversies, the modern state of tennis has become unfamiliar. Robert Flynn investigates why tennis is struggling to remain relevant.
After Novak Djokovic had to retire from an intense game against Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open Semi-Final earlier this year, a monumental era of tennis felt as though it had come to a close. Ubiquitous tennis stars Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal have now stepped out of the court for good and the identity of contemporary tennis has undoubtedly suffered in the absence of their presence. Tennis hall-of-famers, even as far back as John McEnroe, still work to promote the sport with their charm and distinctive personalities and yet the racket sport is slowly fading away from the collective cultural consciousness.
While there is no lack of talent in the players that are currently on tour, there remains an integral lack of personality and rivalry that once launched tennis into the monoculture.
The most engaging and gifted stars of tennis today, Carols Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, present the most intriguing paths forward for the future of the sport. On the court, their playstyles are both exhilarating and inspired, recalling the energetic and determined mentalities of Nadal as well as the Williams sisters. Their undeniable flair has led them to achieving a collective seven solo Grand Slam titles, four for Alcaraz and three for Sabalenka. More importantly however, they're equally as entrancing off of the court as they are on it. While victories and various titles certainly help in garnering a large fanbase, personality and attitude are paramount in tennis due to the solitary nature of the sport. People love a winner, but they may be more likely to support a charismatic underdog first.
Sabalenka and Alcaraz both invest heavily in their social media presence and often are seen playing low stakes, hilarious doubles matches with tennis greats that demonstrate their wit and sense of humor more than anything else. Their effort to show their interests outside of the court and dimensionalise their public persona lends them a strong sense of humility and amiability that makes following their tennis journey all the more appealing and exciting. Sabalenka and Alcaraz are tennis’s most cherished players, where they run into trouble is trying to find an equally charismatic opponent.
Rivalries have been a core part of the tension that drives tennis for decades and it is exactly what has been omitted in the modern sphere. Iga ?wi?tek and Jannik Sinner are the natural rivals of Sabalenka and Alcaraz respectively. Inside the court, their styles can be less intriguing as they focus on a much more formulaic and rigid game that can feel more methodical than passionate. Additionally, outside the court they are each famously laconic and reserved, often keeping reporters and fans at a distance with their lethargic social media presences. Despite their less exhilarating aura, ?wi?tek and Sinner are arguably just as gifted as Sabalenka and Alcaraz, sharing eight solo Grand Slam Titles between each other; three for Sinner and five for ?wi?tek.
Most damningly, ?wi?tek and Sinner have both become embroiled in several doping controversies that have resulted in each of these young stars serving month long bans from the sport. These controversies do more than just hurt each of their legacies, it threatens the integrity of the entire sport.
With the international image of the sport currently being left in the hands of these four players, the future of tennis currently remains uncertain. Who is to say that one of the lesser known, but equally determined, players such as Madison Keys or Ben Shelton won’t suddenly command the sport? One thing remains certain, with each coming Grand Slam opportunity, every player on tour will scramble to become the modern, leading face of tennis.