[croat123]

Instead of showing Nalbanian-Schuettler live (as they promised), they are showing Federer hit 10 billion dfs vs. Roddick (which they showed 4 hours ago) and, instead of showing Clijsters-Schiavone live, they are showing Lindsay steamroll Ai (from about 5 hours ago, meaning that anyone who is interested probably already knows the score).

fuck espn! i want ttc!!

 

[-Sonic-]

bastards depriving the world of Rainer.....

thats the most evil thing i've heard in a LONG time. Now I'm mad.

 

[Mad-About-Venus]

I thought they were going to show Kim and Shiavonne. We already know the result of this one. What's up with this people?

The stadium is beautiful..... but sooo empty !!

 

[Ted of Teds Tennis]

I sent a question to Pat and Cliff using the form on ESPN's site. Do they give an acknowledgement message on a separate page? I didn't get such a page, but I use Opera, and ESPN are partnered with Microslut, so you never know....

 

[jenglisbe]

Yep - let's write them!!

The worst is the men's coverage - they not only said they would show the other SF, but we had seen Roddick/Federer.

The women's coverage, while disappointing, isn't quite as bad since we hadn't seen either match.

 

[xin]

I can't believe this This most ridiculous network I've ever seen.

 

[brunof]

Honestly, I don't mind Patrick Mac all that much. He isn't my fave, but I can handle him. But could the man be anymore pro-USTA-ATP? Honestly. It is so stinking annoying when is practically swooning after ever serve that Roddick hits. "Oh look at that serve and volley, he is really mixing it up. A true sign of his maturity. Thanks to Brad Gilbert, blah, blah, blah." At times, it makes me want to vomit on my hand and eat again just to avoid listening to any more pro-Andy. (Granted he is talented, and the new Era of US men's tennis, but pleease.) Poop.

 

[mboyle]

Guys, you must understand that tennis on tv is still a business. Sorry, but two foreign counter-punchers that no body other than the .01% of us who are avid tennis fans have ever heard of will draw a network rating of like, .1, wheras a Roddick vs. Federer, even if it is a rerun, will draw a much higher rating, thus in theory drawing more support for advertisers etc. Don't be too hard on them .

 

[jenglisbe]

mboyle - I understand that, but it's still disappointing. Also, how can viewers be expected to know foreign players if TV only shows Agassi and Roddick? Also, the other part that bothers me is that ESPN said all day that they should show Rainer vs David...why lie?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Guys, you must understand that tennis on tv is still a business. Sorry, but two foreign counter-punchers that no body other than the .01% of us who are avid tennis fans have ever heard of will draw a network rating of like, .1, wheras a Roddick vs. Federer, even if it is a rerun, will draw a much higher rating, thus in theory drawing more support for advertisers etc. Don't be too hard on them .

David Nalbandian is a Wimbledon finalist. Rainer Schuettler is an Australian Open finalist. The only reason that "nobody" has heard of them is that they get no exposure. "Nobody" would have heard of Andy either if not for all of this exposure (case in point, Coria is nearly as accomplished as Roddick and "nobody" has heard of him)

 

[Crazy Canuck]

You see, ESPN sets themselves up for crap ratings when anybody not named Andy or Andre is playing. I don't believe the USA got coverage of Hamurg, did you? If you did I imagine that the ratings were crap since there 4 Argentine players in the semis. The American media likes to pretend that all Spanish and South American players not named Guga are the same person, so this creates an obvious ratings when they do well. You would think that by now they would have noticed Ferrero, Moya, Coria, Gonzo, Robredo, Calleri, Nalbandian, Costa, Gaudio, and friends all looming in the top 30 and done something about this. But no, it makes far more sense to damn mens tennis by not promoting these players.

 

[faboozadoo15]

damn... i thought we'd make it through a week of good coverage. i've watches espn over the canadian channel all week because i like the commentators and the picture is clearer (like night and day). i was very pleased-- 4 midday hours all week! and then a night match! ppl, pull yourselfves together; this was a good week. so we missed nalbandian and clijsters (i dont get it) but at least we're getting to see a lot of tennis.

 

[JLDementieva]

I've been waiting for someone to have the same opinion as me!! ESPN sucks big time!!! I hate it especially when they show taped matches when it's so predictable to tell who wins!!! But, I think they showed Roddick and Davenport because they're both Americans. And Americans tend to like to watch Americans play.

 

[jbone_0307]

I know!!! ESPN is sooo fucking wrong. I was sitting at the tv looking confused. They are sooooo happy Roddick beat Federer (by accident) for the 1st time in his career! Did you hear what Mcenroe said about roddick that he was sooo mature and this and that because he canceled his doubles match with Vahaly and he had to separate himself from the other US players and start acting like a top 5 player :rollseyes: . That was sooo rude. Like hes won 2 or 3 slams and is THE best. Thats why i hate roddick!! He gets tooo much media attention for doing absolutely nothing. Rainer and Nalbandian have been to a GS Final, RODDICK hasn't. I hope Nalbandian bitch slaps roddick in the final. And the bad thing about it was when they were showing the roddick/federer tape, when they went on commercial and went back they would show like the score of the nalbandian/rainer match LIVE!!!!!!!!! AND THEN GO BACK TO TAPED RODDICK MATCH. Thats bullshit and showing soo much disrespect. They would rather show taped tennis than live. Hallajula USA network is doing the coverage for the US Open. USA Network does an awesome job, the best!!! I mean they show tennis from 9 am till 5pm and i get back from school and its still on. GO USA Network!!! WOOOHOO

 

[Lynn]

These networks don't cater to the diehard fan but to the casual viewer who has heard of the bigger names. All about money and ratings. Why else show Roddick's match twice in a day?

 

[IIOoIaMaGirLoOII]

espn sucks a fat one!! they shove american players down our throat.. theyre the first ones to complain when there isnt an american in the final
and about low ratings.. hmm.. big shocker but how are americans suppose to support other players when they dont televise foreign players..

 

[croat123]

let's see, schuettler and nalbanian have achieved at least as much as roddick this year, if not more, and yet, 99.99% of americans have never heard of them. ESPN messed itself up a few years ago by showing a spaz who just came out of puberty every time they had tennis coverage. The McEnroes (well, both of them) are nationalists who can't stand watching a match without an American and have used their unfortunately overwhelming influence over ESPN to show only American matches. Americans support foreign players (or a wider range of American players) in other sports because they can see them on a weekly basis. I absolutely hate espn and its commetators (especially when mcenroe starts telling us what the players are thinking; chris fowler is the best ). From the clip that was posted of the tennis channel, the match-ups seem much better as do the commentators!

 

[jenglisbe]

And I don't buy the "Americans love to watch Americans" argument. I mean, yeah, that's true...but Americans don't love to watch just Americans. Look at the huge athletes in other sports who aren't American. Baseball and basketball are filled with foreign players. Hell, look at Anna Kournikova!

 

[VS Fan]

What annoyed me the most is that when they showed Lindsay/ Ai they did not even mention who Kim was playing or when, as if they were going to show that match in a later tape delay.

I agree that the Roddick match was overkill, although I had not seen it. Andy looked GREAT in the first set, but looked defeated untill late in the third.

Perhaps Andy is giong through the early "Serena Williams" phase of his career. ( Awesome potential, but poor execution of his undeniable talent.) I think hie could be winning multiple slams in a year or two if he can become more consistent.

He certainly has ALL the tools. ( Like Serena)

 

[Paneru]

Nothing but more Roddick ass-kissing!

They know with Pete gone and Andre nearing the end,
men's tennis in the US is hitting records low. Remedy,
cramp Roddick down everyone's throught until they want him the way they wanted Pete and Andre. Roddick will never be a Pete or Andre or generate interest the way they did. Mac and Drysdale are so extremely bias it's pathetic and so obvious what they are trying to do!
IMO, it does nothing but make people like him less and less!

I hate ESPN!!!