TENNIS WISH LIST FOR 2013

The holidays are almost over.  Tennis season has already begun.  I have read most of my favourite sports writers commentary about the 2012 tennis season.  Some of them I agree with.  Others I just past by the wayside.  2012 was a great year for women’s tennis.  With the top 3 women competing admirably against each other (or at least the top 2 against each other), women’s tennis is in my view placed to grow even more and gain an even bigger audience.

I have been watching Tennis Channel’s Love 30 coverage, and while I am not happy that the majority of the women’s matches seem to fall below the top 10, it was great to see that at least a few of them were voted into the top 5.  Here’s hoping that with the coming 2013 season, there will be many more quality matches to watch.

Everyone has their wish list of what they would like to see in tennis.  I am no different.  And so without further ado, here is my top 10 things I would like to see in women’s tennis this year.

1.                   The end of on-court coaching.  With the great season just completed, it would be great if the powers that be would end this farce.  It continues to make the women’s game look weak.  At a time when we have 3 of the most powerful women in the top echelons of the sport,  having multi-millionaires calling on some old guy to play dog whisperer does nothing good for the women’s game.

2.                   The WTA to provide clarity as to where we can now watch women’s tennis now that Eurosport no longer holds the rights in women’s tennis.

3.                   The end of commentators referring to grown women, married and with children being described as girls.

4.                   The end of commentators with the grunting, shrieking debate.  It is hear to stay.  Get over it.

5.                   The end of commentators repeating the same narrative over and over and over again. 

6.                   Tennis writers to begin taking women’s tennis seriously.  It is not a sideshow.  It is a professional outfit.  The women deserve better than writers just putting out press releases as if they are being paid by an organization to promote players, rather than the game.

7.                   I would love to see WTA events from at least the fourth round, rather than selected quarter-final or semi-final matches on Tennis Channel.  On the same score, I would love to see the end of delayed broadcasts on Tennis Channel.  It is ridiculous that in this day and age, I know the results of matches long before Tennis Channel deigns to provide coverage.  Delayed coverage is the reason why NBC no longer has the rights to Wimbledon.

8.                   The continue use of commentators who were former players.  Many tennis fans adore Lindsay Davenport’s commentary and Brett Haber, despite my best efforts has grown on me.  The guys over at ESPN2 could take a page out of their books.

9.                   I would love if the WTA could have a show on Tennis Channel, or any network, that showcases the women’s Tour in much the same way as the ATP does.  I am sure that many fans like myself would love to see up and coming players like Taylor Townsend, Putinseva and many others as they make the transition from the juniors to the senior tour.

10.               Finally, I would love to see the women’s tour being described as competitive and professional rather than being filled with cat fights as most journalists like to describe it.

Before the season starts, I will publish my predictions for 2013