Without the luxury of teammates to take the spotlight, our tennis aces are never far from the public eye, so it’s hardly surprising they are judged more harshly than other athletes.
We scrutinise their every life decision and the media spare no details of personal dramas or romantic scandals.
The present state of Australian tennis is a reflection of the standards of tennis fans, and our desire for elite athletes who live up to expectations both on and off the court.
That is certainly the case with Bernard Tomic. Tomic has become so estranged from Aussie tennis fans that disapproval of athletes despite their on-court success could be named the Tomic phenomenon.
The world number 72 showed great potential at a young age, playing impressively in some big matches. However Tomic lost the support of the Australian public as quickly as he gained it. Arrogant press conferences, an aggressive father, and a police chase all had a hand in bringing down Tomic, who parted ways with IMG Management group this month.
In a recent interview, Tomic’s sister Sara said it all – “Everyone thinks my brother’s a tool.”
With the exception of Lleyton Hewitt, we have been forced to give Tomic chance after chance to redeem himself because he was all we had, and troubled tennis stars are better than no tennis stars at all, right?
This year’s Wimbledon championships are a sure sign that things are finally changing. Nick Kyrgios’ impressive performance was backed up by a quiet confidence and appreciation of fans that endeared him to a nation during his dream run to the quarter-finals.
Kyrgios is not without role models. In the women’s game, both Sam Stosur and Casey Dellacqua have drawn the support of Australian tennis fans, despite mixed success on the court.
The secret may lie in what you don’t do. Stosur has achieved a reputation for being hardworking and persistent just by keeping a low profile and staying out of the spotlight. Stosur struggles with nerves during the big matches and perhaps it is for this reason she has never made it past the fourth round of the Australian Open. However, as the top-ranked Australian female she maintains a solid support base at home and abroad.
Dellacqua and her Nana charmed the nation during the 2008 Australian Open and since then she has gained a large fan-base. Dellacqua supports multiple charities and is known for her patriotism and love for her family.
Kyrgios, along with other youngsters Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ashleigh Barty are the new generation of Australian tennis. In an age of constant social media and the 24-hour news cycle, they will learn that talent can only take you so far, and that winning over the Australian public is crucial to becoming a true tennis great.
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