The game of tennis is beautiful. From the players’ clothing (and audience) to the well-kept courts on display at major tournaments, tennis is visually appealing to the eye. The game that originated in France is now a global sport that draws players and fans from all over the world together to celebrate the sport. While watching the sport is free because of easy access to the TV, playing it is not. The sport has long been gatekept by the wealthy, with it having strong associations with (primarily) white country club members.
According to a 2017 Gallup poll that asked Americans what sport was their favorite to watch, 2% said tennis. Although tennis may not be most people’s favorite sport to watch, that doesn’t mean that many people do not enjoy According to a 2017 Gallup poll that asked Americans what sport was their favorite to watch, 2% said tennis. Although tennis may not be most people’s favorite sport to watch, that doesn’t mean that many people do not enjoy occasionally watching the sport. It has undoubtedly grown over time, with the help of historically great players such as Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
What Does the Data Say About Diversity?
When watching a tennis match from one of the 4 “Grand Slam” tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, & US Open), it is hard not to notice that most of the players there are white. According to the Bleacher Report, of the top 100 players on the ATP rankings in 2018, only four were non-white. That means that only 4% of the top 100 male players in 2018 were people of color. These players included Frenchmen Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (#9) and Gael Monfils (#11), American James Blake (#16), and Taipei’s Yen-Hsun Lu (#66).
What Are Some of the Reasons Behind the Lack of Diversity?
It’s important to mention that while tennis overall lacks diversity, men’s tennis, in particular, has struggled to attract non-white men, specifically black men.
The USTA president from 2018, Patrick Galbraith, said how “on the men’s side there are so many more options. They can be a pro football player, basketball player, pro baseball player. Tennis is down the line for men. For women, it’s a high priority.”
Women’s tennis has come a long way in diversity over the past few decades, although it is still improving. But men’s tennis is explicitly lacking. Globally, men have many more options to make money pursuing professional sports, which often draws away potential talents who may be a person of color. Other professional sports, such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB, pay players primarily through a salary-based system with bonus options available for team performance (typically based on postseason success). However, to get paid for professional tennis, you must win tournaments.
There is no salary for these tennis players. They are all essentially free agents working for themselves. And while they can make money through sponsorships, they must win to garner the attention of companies to sponsor them, which they typically do through winning and success. Since there is no guarantee to get paid, people who are not already financially stable are less likely to pursue the sport because they can’t take the risk of not making money.
How Deep the Diversity Issue Runs & What We Can Do to Fix It
An article from the Undefeated mentioned how the last black American man to win a Grand Slam title was Arthur Ashe, and it was in 1975. The diversity issue with men’s tennis runs deep. The lack of representation attracts less diverse players, often because they don’t see themselves represented enough in the sport, making the cycle of little representation continue.
To inspire men of color, especially in the United States, to gain an interest in tennis, we must start at the bottom. Access to tennis courts, equipment, and coaches is a huge component of why many kids do not get exposed to the sport young like how they often do with soccer, basketball, and baseball. The nearest courts are often restricted to members of a country club, which prevents anyone who is not from a higher socioeconomic class from using. Additionally, tennis racquets are not cheap and require pricy upkeep, mainly restringing it regularly professionally. Not to mention that some high schools that are not as affluent as others do not even have a tennis team to offer students to play on.
It is fully known that men’s tennis has a diversity problem globally. Here in the United States, we must address the issue head-on. Sports bring people together from all walks of life. It connects us and gives us something in common. When a particular group of people is left out of a sport, it lessens the sport. The greater diversity in men’s tennis, the greater the sport becomes because of the increase in competition. People of color being left out of the sport in 2021, in part due to lack of exposure, is a major issue that must be addressed. The future starts with the younger generation being exposed to the beautiful game.
