Tradition or innovation: Can tennis win back the public in the age of the instantaneous?

In 2023 the International Tennis Federation (ITF) reported an alarming 12% drop in global amateur participation compared to 2019. Likewise, pickleball and paddleball grew at an unprecedented rate. With changing audiences devoting only a few minutes of their attention, is tennis at risk of being relegated?

In recent years, the sports world has witnessed an interesting phenomenon: younger audiences are moving away from consuming entire sporting events. Lack of time and the infinite supply of content available in the palm of their hands mean that fans are opting to watch highlights of games instead of spending 2 or 3 hours following their favorite player point-by-point.

These reasons, added to others that we will detail below, have led tennis leaders such as Novak Djokovic to raise the idea that the future of the sport of racquetball may not be as bright as its present.

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The padel and pickleball tsunami: the numbers don't lie

According to different sources, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the West. Approximately 9 million people play it in the United States. Likewise, tennis figures have fallen by 10% since 2017. In Spain, the younger brother of tennis has also stomped its feet, with more than 100 dedicated clubs.

Padel for years was a sport mainly for Spaniards and Argentinians, but in the last decade many other countries have started to play it;

The sport of paddleball has a much more developed competition infrastructure than píckleball, which directly influences the amount of money generated: around 450 million euros annually.

The reasons for its success among gamers

• Speed of play: A pickleball or paddleball match lasts significantly less time than a tennis match.

• Costs: Per hour, 15-20 € paddle tennis court rental. 30-50 €.

• Age distribution: most European pickleball players are between 18 and 35 years old.

These disciplines offer a more dynamic alternative to tennis, requiring less space and equipment. The courts are easier to build, reducing the cost.

Maria Sharapova, former world No. 1, trying pickle ball for the first time

They are easier to learn. They have fewer rules and the technique for hitting the ball does not need to be as polished. New players can quickly integrate.

The social factor makes them even more profitable. While tennis is more popular in singles, pickleball and paddleball are mainly played in pairs. This encourages social interaction and the creation of communities of players.

The tennis response: time to innovate

Novak Djokovic alerted the circuit at a press conference during Roland Garros 2023:

"At my academy in Serbia, we have already had to build paddle courts. If we don't adapt the rules and bring tennis closer to the people, we will lose a generation."

Unlike other times, the flexibility of the ATP has allowed the incorporation of original events, seeking to bring freshness to the sport.

Ultimate Tennis Showdown introduced interesting modifications to the classic tennis match format: it is played with a stopwatch, music and on-screen statistics, created by Patrick Mouratoglou. It attracted 1.2M views in its 2023 edition.

Some events, such as the Laver Cup and other important exhibitions aim to spread tennis by the hand of superstars in different parts of the world.

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The failed case of Kosmos and Gerard Piqué

Just a few hours ago, Gerard Piqué was in the news precisely for talking about the different ideas he would have liked to try in tennis. The former footballer and businessman, through his company Kosmos, took over the organization of the Davis Cup in 2018. Despite some original ideas, the change of format of the world tennis competition faced criticism and financial challenges that led to the dissolution of the contract with the ITF in 2023.

"Tennis needs to evolve to adapt to the current speed and attract those young people who are tempted to watch many other things like HBO or Netflix," said the 2010 world champion.

Strategies that work

Faced with the challenge of competing against these emerging sports, tennis' capacity for reinvention, often criticized for its traditionalism, has taken courage and tried to implement strategies to regain the interest of fans:

Playing time was reduced:

The Davis Cup and the Next Gen ATP Finals are clear examples. While the young promises compete in sets of 4 games, the tennis world championship went from being played in best of 5 sets to best of 3.

More presence in social networks:

Both the ATP and the WTA have significantly increased their presence in the different social networks. Tournaments and players have also joined in, bringing events and players closer to the public in the organizing cities.

Promotion of amateur tennis:

Perhaps a less explored initiative, but in some cities tennis initiation campaigns have been promoted with the aim of attracting new players.

Andre Agassi noted at the ATP Innovation Forum:

"Tennis doesn't compete with paddle tennis, it competes with TikTok. Our challenge is to be as addictive as a scroll."

While the leading racquet sport is not in mortal danger, all these data show a reality that the ATP, WTA and ITF have taken note of. In the face of the challenges are the opportunities for growth, the work will not be easy for a sport so strongly linked to traditions.

Tennis will survive, but it will have to learn to coexist in a world where the rules are given to the immediacy with which we live in the 21st century.

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