With Stars Like Federer and Djokovic, Tennis Deserves More Love

Having watched another exciting Australian open come to an end, I find myself wondering, as I often do at the end of major tournaments, why tennis hasn't gathered a larger following in the United States.

Understandably, Americans have grown disinterested recently due to a lack of successful American players. Americans love winners and currently, Andy Roddick and James Blake are the only two Americans in the top 25. Furthermore, an American hasn't won a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick's U.S. Open run in 2003.

What many people are missing however, is that the sport itself is still thriving. Every night, extraordinary matches are being played between dynamic personalities.

One of the best aspects of watching professional tennis is that you truly get to know the players. Each week, a story line develops that could give any soap opera a run for its money.

Having watched James Blake at every major tournament for the past few years, I've witnessed time and again his struggle with confidence. When shots start missing and serves lose velocity, his talent tends to run for the hills. Going into the Australian Open, he was a measly 1-10 in matches that went to five sets.

For this reason, when Blake recently went down two sets to zero against the formidable Sebastien Grosjean, the match was as good as over. Rarely do players come back from two set to none deficits, regardless of who they are...but never had James Blake.

Well, that all changed. Not only did Blake come from behind to win, he repeatedly stepped up his game when necessary. Losing 4-1 in the fourth set, he came back to take it to a tiebreaker. Then, down 4-1 in the tiebreaker, just three points from elimination, he fought back again, winning the tiebreaker, the set, and then a short while later, the match.

Time for the monkey to find another back.

Story lines are not the only reason to watch tennis. The sport is simply a joy to follow. When two elites like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic take to the court, it's like witnessing a chess match played at rapid speed, as athleticism and intelligence join forces in a way rarely seen.

What makes tennis so special is that it is one of the only sports where the athlete is forced to win the game, rather than simply not lose. You cannot take a knee for the final minute or walk the best batter to take on an easier one. You cannot sit on the clock or double team the superstar.

The only way to win is by consistently accumulating more points than your opponent. Time cannot save you.

So the next time Federer and Nadal meet on clay, or Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga play at the Aussie open, give them a chance to show you why the sport is so great. Allow them to entertain you with supreme skill and finesse. Take a chance on two non-Americans and see that even if your fellow countrymen are not playing, the sport can still be every bit as thrilling.

And if that doesn't work, pretend that Tsonga is Muhammad Ali's son, faking a French accent.