Is the WTA Facing a Crisis Due to Lack of Young Superstars?
As the sun begins to set on the WTA's 2014 season, a potential crisis looms on the horizon. The young up-and-coming women's tennis players are rising too slow.
This could leave the WTA with a shortage of superstars.
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are the two biggest names in women's tennis. When they skip, withdraw or lose in the early rounds of a tournament, interest wanes. It's like the life is sucked out of an event.
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This took place last week at the Wuhan Open, when Serena Williams retired in her second-round match and Sharapova lost in the third round. Their early exits came on the heels of Li Na, a global sensation, announcing her retirement from tennis.
Williams turned 33 a few days ago. Sharapova turns 28 in April. Venus Williams is 34. Unlike in years past when teen sensations captured the hearts of fans, the biggest tennis stars today are older.
Sure, there are younger players such as Eugenie Bouchard, Simona Halep and even Petra Kvitova, who are building their resumes and gaining fans.
However, none of them transcend tennis. In fact, the youngsters aren't even close.
Apparently aware of the potential dearth in superstars, the WTA is trying to accelerate stardom.
For the first time, the WTA will hold a Rising Stars Invitational at the WTA Finals. The year-end championship festivities used to be reserved for the top players. This year, the WTA is allowing fans to vote on rising stars they would like to see play in this exhibition, similar to the NBA's rookie game. By making it a popularity contest, the WTA is counting on tennis fans to decide which players are publicity worthy.
The WTA's rising stars are all 23-years-old and under. Four players will be selected from the Asia-Pacific region and four others will be chosen from "the rest of the world." They will compete in a four-match showdown in Singapore, site of the year-end championships. Fans have until Oct. 3 to vote.
Who's hot and who's not can change so quickly in women's tennis. Just last year Tennis Magazine published a story about the brightest young WTA stars. Sloane Stephens, Laura Robson, Madison Keys, Monica Puig and Bouchard made the list. They were all ranked in the Top 50. Stephens was ranked No. 13.
Stephens has since dropped out of the Top 30. Robson, who is injured, hasn't played a match since her first-round loss at the Australian Open. She is ranked No. 377. Puig is ranked No. 64.
Bouchard and Keys (ranked No. 32) are the only two who have improved their standing since that article was written. The WTA will need more than one of these players to catch fire.
A crop of players gaining steam together produces rivalries. Rivalries generate buzz. In 2001 the Grand Slam finals featured Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, the Williams sisters, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.
Those players were all there to take the torch from Steffi Graf who retired in 1999.
When Graf began her run on Slams, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were still on the tour. Graf also competed against the likes of Gabriela Sabatini and Monica Seles, who were building tennis brands of their own. Along came Lyndsay Davenport, Capriati and Hingis. Those ladies were still on tour, competing for Slams when Henin, the Williams sisters and Clijsters arrived.
Right now the WTA has a bunch of talented young players jockeying for position. Bouchard is the clear front-runner. However, outside of Canada, Bouchard has yet to hit mainstream celeb status.
Serena Williams and Sharapova are celebrities. Williams has been a guest on Late Night with David Letterman several times. She and Sharapova have been on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. They are "names" at Oscar parties. Serena has more than 4.3 million Twitter followers. Sharapova has 1.9 million Twitter followers. Bouchard has 342,000.
The Williams sisters have, at best, three good years left on the tour. Although Sharapova is younger, with her recurring shoulder problems, it's unlikely that she will remain on tour well into her 30s.
When these megastars retire, will the younger players have gained a large enough following? Can Bouchard, Halep or Kvitova string together enough Grand Slam titles in time to take the torch from the future Hall of Famers?
The WTA is banking on it.
With the expansion in Asia, the WTA has positioned itself for growth globally. The future of women's tennis may hinge on whether the current crop of young players can produce "Serenesque" or Sharapova-like megawatt appeal.
Right now, they lack sizzle and that's a problem. The WTA needs its young stars to shine brighter before the lights dim on the aging superstars.
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