Posted On: March 6, 2014 By :
Tennis Events Serve Up Big Returns
year’s event runs March 3–16 and will showcase a stadium recently added to attract more spectators.
Photo courtesy of Cal Sport Media via AP Images
By Zoie Clift
Every year, tennis grabs the international spotlight during the four Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open are the most famous tennis tournaments in the world. Each provides a two-week platform on which to parade the sport and players at the forefront of the game.
However, tennis stretches to every corner of the globe with events at all levels illustrating just how popular the sport has become. Developments such as the introduction of World Tennis Day; expansions at venues that host two of the biggest U.S. tennis tournaments; and pro tournament schedules that are reaching out to new markets signal that the sport is in sound standing.
“Tennis seems to be in a very good place,” said Jerry Solomon, president of StarGames, a Boston-based sports agency that organizes several tennis events around the world. “It has several superstars on the men’s and women’s side that are worldwide icons. Andy Murray was just voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year in the U.K. Serena Williams was just voted the Associated Press’s Female Athlete of the Year. Roger Federer is possibly the greatest player of all time. Maria Sharapova, Li Na and Serena Williams are among the most highly paid athletes in the world and the only women to make the Forbes 100 list in 2013. And Rafa Nadal has more than 5.5 million Twitter followers.”
In addition to the personalities and rivalries, Solomon said, tennis events are colorful “happenings” that draw celebrities and community VIPs, making them places where people want to be seen, which is always good for business. “Event organizers around the world have done a good job of combining sport and entertainment, making tennis events fun to be a part of,” he said.
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