Tennis • The Point of View From A “10sBalls” Reader

Photo by @BNPPARIBASOPEN via Twitter

 

 

By Rosemary Goodwin

 

I always enjoy reading the newsletter, but especially enjoyed today’s comments about life on the Tour. I’ve often commented that team sports offer spectators the chance to watch the top-500 in their sport.

 

As a Canadian, hockey is ever-present… the NHL has 30 teams with 20 players on each…. 600 players. Major League Baseball has about 750 players. NBA rosters include almost 500 players. Most of these players earn huge salaries…. often $1 million or more. And all their expenses are paid by the team: travel, meals, coaches, trainers, equipment, medical. If they’re injured, they still get paid. If they perform poorly, they still get paid.

 

How would the baseball player feel if he had to sit out the rest of the week whenever he goes hitless on Monday? And how would the basketball or hockey player feel if he had to make his own travel arrangements, pay his own coach, and live without a paycheque if he got injured?

 

But in tennis, there’s this crazy idea that you’re nobody unless you’re in the top 10. Players who are in the 30-50 rankings would be the stars of their team in another sport…. but can barely make a living in tennis. And we don’t give them enough credit for all they accomplish.

 

I don’t know what the answer is, but tennis needs to make some changes…. And it’s not to DAVIS CUP…

Editors note: We rarely publish letters from our readers. But this one was special. Great insight.