The US Open is well underway and the Grand Slam has not been without its fair share of controversy so far.
The cost of tickets and the rise of tennis influencers have come under fire at Flushing Meadows, with surge pricing in play for the big matches and ‘celebrities’ being asked to quiet down by umpires.
Elsewhere, complaints about the tennis schedule continue to bubble over, with Carlos Alcaraz becoming the latest star to criticise how many matches players are forced to play in a season.
Alcaraz suggested he would be more selective about which tournaments he plays now due to the wrist injury which kept him out for four and a half months this year.
With negativity everywhere you look in the sport, Mark Petchey has called for a bit of perspective from fans and pundits of the sport.
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Speaking on social media, the former coach of Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu said: “It’s always interesting stepping back and hearing the narrative that evolves from a tennis event. It’s nearly always the same.
Too many matches in a year. Too many late finishes. Too gruelling,” he added. “Too expensive. Too many influencers. Best-of-five vs best-of-3. Ad nauseam.”
However, Petchey believes are far brighter than many are making out.
“And yet in amongst the dysfunctional beauty of tennis as we know it is, it is exploding in popularity,” he said. “Yes, tennis has never had it better. The players, the tournament’s, the ratings.
“Everything on a steep upward trend. Something is clearly very right with the sport too. No business is perfect, no sport is run to everyone’s desire.
“There will never be utopia in tennis but it is the greatest annual full calendar global show in the world. Time to celebrate harder, the hardest sport in the world.”
This led several personalities from the sport to jump in and agree with the British coach turned pundit too. Brad Gilbert sent agreeable emojis to Petchey, while Roger Rasheed shared his view in the comments.
The Australian coach, who worked with Lleyton Hewitt, Gael Monfils, and Grigor Dimitrov said: “The too many matches is the one for me, only a very small minority could claim that and if you are playing lots, well you’re obviously having a bloody good year – wasn’t that the initial goal?”
The biggest tournaments on the calendar have been thriving in 2026, with many sell outs throughout the year, particularly at the Grand Slams.
However, with the likes of Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz missing extended periods throughout the year, that is surely something that cannot be expected to continue.
