Latest Posts

The Secrets of Spanish Tennis 2.0 Tennis Has No Replay for Doubt Mirra Andreeva’s Reaction Ball Drill Tennis Beyond the Headlines: April 20, 2026 When Local Rules Stop Being Local Playoff Season and the Politics of Availability The Myth of the Primary Team in USTA League Tennis

The US Open Presidential Suite Denim War

On By Teresa Merklin

The USTA uses the US Open as an opportunity to wine and dine VIPs. It makes sense because a registered non-profit, the USTA needs donations from generous benefactors in order to operate. The USTA brass enforces a strict dress code in the Presidential Suite at the US Open which hosts the upper echelons of benefactors for their own and related causes. The list of prohibited attire includes denim jeans and shorts. Perhaps most shocking of all, tennis shoes are not allowed.

Did Anybody Actually Watch the Laver Cup?

On By Teresa Merklin

In a column following the Laver Cup this year, Tennis Analyst Jon Wertheim observed that in this age if polarization, most fans consider the the exhibition to be either flawless or worthless with no middle ground. For the sake of transparency, I am firmly in the “worthless” camp, as evidenced by my pejorative use of the word “exhibition” when characterizing the event. I have always seen The Laver Cup as a big money grab to cash in on the appeal of Federer and Nadal while they are still playing. Tennis needs to be building future stars rather than clinging desperately to the waning glory days of the most marketable male players in the history of the sport.

A Tale of Two Tournaments

On By Teresa Merklin

During the US Open this year, I received numerous daily emails from the USTA reminding me to tune into the broadcast of the tournament. Other messaging that hit my inbox promoted purchase of tickets for the event. There were also frequent reminders to engage with the “virtual grounds” of Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The messaging repeatedly hawked US Open merchandise. Following the conclusion of the tournament, I received notifications from the USTA inviting me to participate in an auction of the art that was displayed on the tournament grounds this year. It was a lot of direct email marketing.

4 responses

2021 US Open Television Ratings

On By Teresa Merklin

Television ratings are a leading indicator for the future financial prospects of professional sports. While tournaments also earn money from from sponsorship and ticket sales, television broadcast ratings arguably have the strongest influence on the future revenue across all other categories. Television ratings drive future broadcast contracts which directly translates into media exposure of the sport. That, in turn, is how the majority of fans experience tennis. The number of people who watch an event is factored in when corporations make sponsorship decisions.

A Tennis Rankings Anomaly: Raducanu Sets a Record

On By Teresa Merklin

Emma Raducanu’s professional tennis ranking has risen meteorically this year. That should not be much of a surprise as breakout performances at Wimbledon and the US Open earned her two fairly significant chunks of WTA rankings points. Additionally, her US Open performance was both a rankings point record and anomaly. Raducanu is guaranteed to lose ranking points at the 2022 US Open, even if she successfully defends her title. The situation is unprecedented.

1 response