Chasing ‘bums on seats’ does nothing for tennis

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 2 years ago

Chasing ‘bums on seats’ does nothing for tennis

Credit: Illustration: Jim Pavlidis

To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Chasing ‘bums on seats’ does nothing for tennis

The problem for Tennis Australia is whether it is there to promote tennis or events. Twenty to 30 years ago, most of the audience at the Australian Open were people who played (or had played) tennis, and wanted to see good tennis – and when they saw it, they applauded, whoever the player. This was one of the reasons that overseas players liked coming here so early in the year: they had an informed audience.

But as an event promoter, Tennis Australia wants bums on seats, and is chasing the bored, young men with money to spend. They may not know much about tennis, but they want spectacle, and heroes – and, of course, enemies. So anything that helps your hero – even a double fault by the opponent – is cheered, and opponents are booed.

This pleases the idiot spectators, and boosts the bottom line, but does it do anything for tennis in Australia? Or strengthen the claims of Melbourne to hang on to its grand slam in the face of competing claims from (for instance) Shanghai?
Hal Colebatch, Hawthorn

The toxic mix of narcissism and mob mentality

A crowd is never far away from being a mob. Witness the way footy crowds shamefully and mindlessly booed Adam Goodes. And now tennis crowds are emulating this mob behaviour, inflamed by Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis who seem to think that the longevity of tennis rests in their showmanship.

It is a toxic mix. While the crowd feeds off their infantile narcissism, the players feed of the mob mentality. Having such sway over a crowd may puff up their egos but it destroys the game for their opponents and those who watch it for its beauty and grace. Tennis does not need showmen who junk tradition for self-serving ends. I hope the crowd prevails over the mob.
Sandy Jeffs, Christmas Hills

Advertisement

We must denounce the bullying of opponents

Osman Faruqi is wrong to characterise criticism of the behaviour of Nick Kyrgios’ fans as an attack on the Australian myth of “good-natured larrikins”, and to cast it as elitism and racism from the “cucumber sandwich set” (Opinion, 27/1). Concern about the Kyrgios mob has focused on its spiteful behaviour towards his opponents, and has rightly been called out as bullying. It should be denounced, regardless of whether it conforms with an ill-defined myth.
Shaun Ginsbourg, Mount Waverley

Love him or not, Nick sells tickets to the AO

Those who criticise Nick Kyrgios are probably the same ones who sneered at the young Lleyton Hewitt. In the absence of Novak “the joker” Djokovic, Tennis Australia may need Nick as their number one ticket seller, apart from our angel, Ash Barty.
John Marks, Werribee

A lack of respect from the players’ drunken fans

The objection to the boorish behaviour of the “special Ks” is not the WASP, cucumber-sandwich set versus larrikin patriots. It is about respect. Respect for your opponents and respect for the game.
Being a “good sport” used to be something Australians admired. The “emotional roller-coaster” of John Cain Arena is at least partly explained by the inebriation of parts of the crowd, encouraged by Kokkinakis who this this week said: “Sink piss and come here” (Sport, 26/1). Surely celebrating drunken patriotism is a double fault.
Andrew McLorinan, Hampton

Once the lads lose, tennis will be watchable again

My eagerly anticipated annual tennis binge has become unwatchable. Nick Kyrgios is, simply put, disgusting. Prancing around the court, whipping up yobbo frenzy, smashing racquets, posturing. I know the lad is not stupid, but he appeals to the stupid. May their opposition win quickly so they are off the screen.
Sarah Yeomans, Preston

LETTERS

The purpose of tennis

Nick Kyrgios wants to be an entertainer. He has some ability playing tennis and has found this a very lucrative way to earn a living. He would have to be a television or movie star to earn the same money. So is tennis only for its entertainment value or are the tournaments for serious players striving to be the best in the world? Something for the international tennis boffins to decide.
Laurice Paton, Heathmont

Etiquette of matches

Osman Faruqi (Opinion, 27/1) seems to be using race, age and class in a divisive manner to condone the appalling behaviour of fans at the Nick Kyrgios/Thanasi Kokkinakis matches. Make as much noise as you like between points but recognise when it is appropriate to be quiet. It’s not really that hard, is it?
Wendy Steel, Vermont South

The game we wanted

On Tuesday, Channel Nine elected to cover the “two Ks” (clowns) over the Rafael Nadal/Denis Shapovalov match. This decision confirms the disappointing attitude of Craig Tiley, the Australian Open and Nine of rating poor sports, bad manners and theatrics over talent, sportsmanship and respectful spectators. What a shame.
Julienne Gleeson, Malvern

Unequal playing courts

Tennis is a game of skill, not heat endurance. All competitors should play on a fair basis without some benefitting by playing after the sun goes down.
Murray McInnis, Coburg

Supporting state schools

Re “Victorian school fees highest in the nation” (The Age, 27/1). Sorry, but so many people with money and a desire for status and power choose to send their children to these divisive, elitist schools. Imagine if they contributed their finances and drive into our government school system, thus increasing opportunity, hope and inspiration for all, and enriching our country with otherwise unrealised talent and achievement.
Jan Dwyer, Rosebud

What leads to success

There is a simple solution for those who are concerned about private school fees – send your child to your local government school. Studies consistently show that the most accurate predictor of academic success is the parents’ socioeconomic group, and that when this is taken into account there is little difference between government and private schools in terms of academic results.
Keith Fletcher, Kennington

The right to access

It is wonderful that Dylan Alcott is Australian of the Year (The Age, 26/1) but disgraceful that, in 2022, so many restaurants and public facilities are still not accessible to disabled people, particularly those who are in wheelchairs. Many facilities have no toilets accessible to them; in others, the disabled toilets are hidden away, as we found at the Zoo.

In others there are steps at the entrances and often they are used as storerooms (even in hospitals). Assistance rails are often missing. At others, toilets are locked. Who is checking that shops, restaurants and public facilities are accessible and appropriate to everyone??
Tim Blowfield, Melbourne

Fighting for non-humans

The efforts of the four Australians of the Year, while eminently praiseworthy, are all human-centred. It would be refreshing to have at least one recipient who was working to benefit the non-human world.
Lawrence Pope, North Carlton

Why single out one?

Your editorial (The Age, 26/1) mentions the strain on Grace Tame’s mental health and suggests the National Australia Day Council “should consider providing more administrative and mentoring support to recipients”. Rather than risk damaging anybody’s mental health, it might be better to abandon the whole idea. What is the point of singling out one Australian each year anyway?
Hugh Saunders, Brighton East

Tame, true to herself

Grace Tame has never made a secret of her feelings for Scott Morrison, so why should she now lie to herself and put on a “show” to make others feel comfortable? Yes she is angry, but it is her anger that is getting the message across. Politicians have made many promises which have amounted to nothing. Keep the anger going, Grace.
Jane Taylor, Newport

Danger of ’respect’

To all those critics who are demanding respect of Grace Tame, perhaps we would not have had so many children abused if they had not been taught to respect their elders absolutely.
Lynette Payne, Richmond

We’re following you, Grace

Lead on, Grace Tame. For the thousands upon thousands of victim survivors. For those who, like you, have spoken truth to power. And for all of us: the many, many Australians who expect better, and will continue to demand better, from those elected to serve all of us. Lead on.
Catherine Black, Warragul

Why Tame didn’t smile

Parnell Palme McGuinness – “Rude Grace squanders her time sniping” (Opinion, 26/1) – criticised Grace Tame for failing to beam back at the Prime Minister. He should not have been surprised. His background is marketing and he was virtue signalling to those of us who admire her. If she had smiled, we might have got an inaccurate impression of her assessment of his behaviour towards women in the last year.
Margaret Lothian, Middle Park

A very admirable woman

Grace Tame is obviously disappointed in the lack of substance in Scott Morrison’s efforts to address the widespread problem of the treatment of women. I welcomed her response to him. She is clear headed, well spoken, wears her heart on her sleeve and, unlike him, is not two-faced.
Julie Broomhall, Timboon

Insensitive celebrations

Australia Day. It is not just the date that is problematic, it is the way it is celebrated. In Canberra, soldiers marching, carrying rifles, bayonets fixed, brass band playing, a C17 flying over the Tent Embassy on its 50th anniversary, an artillery salute. It was similar in Sydney. We celebrate ‘Australia Day’ with all the military trappings required for an invasion. What are First Nations people supposed to make of that? What does that remind them of?
John Ross, Yandoit

What’s a bit of pink paint?

The outrage over a pink statue of Captain James Cook (The Age, 27/1) is laughable. How much Indigenous culture and knowledge has been crushed into oblivion in the last 200 years? How many sacred sites have been destroyed? How many sacred objects stolen?

To understand what is happening now, we first need to understand 200years of both mindless and deliberate vandalism, child abuse, rape, murder and genocide perpetrated by Europeans, especially the English, on Indigenous Australians. A bit of pink paint is insignificant compared to those atrocities.
Doug Steley, Heyfield

An obsequious tribute

Police reportedly described the defacing of the St Kilda statue of Captain James Cook as “ridiculous” (ABC Radio, 26/1).

This word could fairly describe the anachronistic monument incongruously standing between the Esplanade Hotel and the bay. Cook had nothing to do with St Kilda, let alone Melbourne or Victoria. The closest he got was hundreds of kilometres away, then he sailed in the opposite direction.

The prominence and scale of this obsequious tribute to British triumphalism and divine superiority reveals more about the insecurity of those on the margins of the Empire than any actual history. Incongruous, irrelevant and intentionally offensive to dispossessed custodians – yes, ridiculous.
Rod Duncan, East Brunswick

Truth and a treaty

The injustices of the past cannot be resolved until we have a Truth Commission followed by a treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The day the treaty is signed becomes Australia Day. It is time to get this done.
Peter Marsh, Camberwell

In praise of WA’s efforts

Kate Halfpenny paints a very rosy and unrealistic picture of life in the eastern states (The Age Online, 27/1).

As a Melburnian with a partner who is immunocompromised, we are not living our best lives. This “let it rip” strategy is false economics with so many people choosing to stay at home rather than take the risk of dining out etc and contracting COVID-19.

Almost 3000 people have lost their lives to COVID-19 in Australia. This is shameful and it is infuriating to hear some people dismiss so many lives lost with the words “co-morbidities” and “underlying health issues”.

Ironically the image that Kate creates of life in the eastern states is anything but a contrast to life in Western Australia. There the people are continuing to live with abandon because they have kept the virus at bay. I salute the efforts of Premier Mark McGowan.
Caitriona Prendergast, Black Rock

Time for Colbeck to go

Less than two years after his display of ignorance and incompetence during the early pandemic disaster in aged care homes, Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck has done it again (The Age, 27/1). He has refused to attend the Senate hearing on the government’s handling of the Omicron wave, preferring instead to go to the cricket.

The aged care sector is still plagued by unresolved problems and many residents are still dying of COVID-19. Presumably by absenting himself from the hearing, Colbeck does not know and does not care. Why is he still nominally in charge? Whilst he remains we can expect nothing to change. This government’s treatment of the aged in our society rivals its disgraceful treatment of refugees.
Bob Malseed, Hawthorn

AND ANOTHER THING

Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding

Australia Day

Dylan Alcott, you are a legend and example to us all. Why not a future governor-general?
Kevin Drinan, Bentleigh

Good on you, Grace. Women of Australia salute you. That look was perfect.
Lorna Jensen, Eastwood

It’s my belief to respect the position of a person regardless of what you think of that person. Shame on you, Miss Tame.
Jean Radford, Mount Eliza

Hey Scott, that was your Mark Latham handshake moment delivered with cool Grace.
Colin Mockett, Geelong

Grace looks angry. The rest of us can’t wait to express ourselves at the ballot box.
Rosslyn Jennings, North Melbourne

What a self-centred disgrace to the honourable position of Australian of the Year.
Phil Dunstan, Mount Waverley

A fall from Grace?
Lucy Spence, Beaumaris

I don’t recall a lot of negative comments about the firefighter who refused to shake the PM’s hand.
Damian Meade, Leopold

Grace, you made my day.
Leah White, Coburg

Now that the four weeks of propaganda are over, can we please get on with 2022.
John Cross, Richmond

If Australia can’t even give up flying on its flag the symbol of Aboriginal dispossession, little wonder reconciliation is taking so long.
Greg Pyers, Daylesford

Furthermore

If the Kyrgios circus becomes a role model for Australian youth, heaven help us.
David Lyall, Mount Eliza

It’s a bit rich for Morrison to claim Australia is united after he spent 18 months undermining Labor states.
Wendy Steel, Vermont South

If Boris had attended parties here during lockdown, his fellow MPs would chuckle and say he’d had “a beer with the boys”.
Stan Thomson, Sandringham

Gay Alcorn sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive her Note from the Editor.

Most Viewed in National

Loading