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Steve,
I agree with you that the women have generated a great deal of the interest during Miami this year. Perhaps on the men’s side, the Big Three have dominated for so long that the other excellent players have yet to imprint themselves on our minds. They simply haven’t surfaced in the late stages of that many events yet—not just at Slams, but even at Masters 1000 tournaments. So it’s hard to feel connected with them the way we have for so long been engaged with Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer.
But the wealth has been spread much more among the women in recent years, so I found myself more aware of who they are, familiar with their playing styles, various back stories, and so on.
Most of all, what we see at a tournament like the Miami Open is how compelling it is to watch men and women compete at the same event. To bounce back and forth among these superb ATP and WTA players, to witness dramatic matches from both genders, to take in these various playing styles and personalities—it all adds up to a smorgasbord like nothing else in all of sports, an excellent example of one plus one equaling three. The only thing better than watching it play out on TV is to be on-site, strolling from one court to another, taking in practices, singles, doubles, at once scheduled, at other times, random.
As far as the PTPA goes, I hope its leaders grasp how distinctive tennis is as the only professional sport where both genders compete concurrently at the same event—and how marketing that unique dimension effectively is our sport’s best chance for sustained success. Not all events need to be dual-gender, but a great many should be organized and marketed that way.
I like that Djokovic and Pospisil want to help players gain more representation. And who wouldn’t want a salary increase, particularly if one suspects there’s more money floating around? Let’s then play this out. Let’s even imagine the PTPA doubling prize money. And then what? What does the PTPA intend to do to bring more value for fans, sponsors and, dare I say, media? I look forward to learning more—including how WTA players fit into the PTPA.
This is promising to be such an unusual tennis year, everything from the altered calendar to the bubbles that define many tournaments, all amid the still-present pandemic. The stress is like nothing the sport (or the world) has ever faced, so it will be fascinating to see how the players handle all these challenges. More than ever, I think the non-tennis members of a player’s support team—trainers, physiotherapists, psychologists—will take on an even bigger role, in many cases, greater than the coach.
Steve, based on what you’ve seen in Miami, how do you see the pandemic continuing to shape the tennis world?