Australian Open 2012 Finals: Sharapova vs. Azarenka Pain to Watch, Hurts Tennis

Tennis needs Maria Sharapova to play with more bite than bark.

Women’s tennis isn’t exactly must-see TV.  While the sport has its loyal followers, it will never compete in popularity with other professional leagues if its big names can’t win tournaments.

Sharapova is a name with the ability to draw an audience.  If she began to string together a few tournament wins, the sport's ratings would absolutely skyrocket.  Her failure, though, to knock off Victoria Azarenka in the 2012 Australian Open finals didn’t do the big picture any good.

Sharapova, who according to ESPN was criticized by Agnieszka Radwanska earlier in the week about her screaming, was silenced by Azarenka, who dominated the Finals, winning in two sets, 6-3 and 6-0.  The Los Angeles Times reported after the match that Sharapova talked to the press about her opponent, saying:

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“She did everything better than I did today.  I had a good first couple of games, and that was about it.  Then she was the one that was taking the first ball and hitting it deep and aggressive.  I was always the one running around like a rabbit, you know, trying to play catch-up all the time.”

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Sharapova wasn’t the only popular player to disappoint in the first grand slam tournament of the year. 

Serena Williams fell to Ekaterina Makarova in a fourth-round shocker.  Williams hasn’t won a grand slam since 2010 Wimbledon.  At 30 years old, the superstar’s age isn’t going to aid her on her quest to return to the top.

Williams and Sharapova must step up their games.  A supposed star of the sport isn’t meant to get destroyed in the most important match of a tournament.  If that pair or other big-name players fails to win grand slams, the sport will struggle to increase its fan base.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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