Vien Dinh on Tennis Tournaments

One of the main reasons why I like attending tennis tournaments is because tennis is a solitary sport. Each player performs as an individual against a single opponent, performing for the audience, for himself, and for the win. The connection between the player and the audience is a very special kind of connection. Unlike a team sport, a tennis player relies on himself, with no team to fall back on. As a result, the glory of triumph can be great, but so can the sting of defeat or simply a poorly executed shot. The solitary style of tennis makes it very psychological in nature, as each player struggles not only with the opponent, but more often with himself, his mood, his morale. This emotional struggle is often difficult for the player and as a result, the player often wants the audience to share in on the struggle. Tennis players are notorious for making dramatic displays during matches, smashing racquets when making bad shots, and vocally chastising themselves allowing the audience to hear their struggle. Tennis players subconsciously want the audience to share in their ordeal, in victory, but more in defeat. This, in my opinion adds to the entertainment value of tennis tournaments. Whenever I come to watch a professional tennis tournament or an NCAA tournament, I feel like I'm not only attending a sports match, but also a reality tv show.