In light of shockingly poor US Open finals viewing numbers despite Taylor Fritz & Jessica Pegula's presence, does the USA have a tennis problem?
"Yaaaayyyyyyy!" — No, nothing's gone awry at your place. That’s the exact sound I heard on my TV when Coco Gauff lifted the US Open trophy last year, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in a sensational final. The match was a whirlwind of drama, with the crowd doing whatever they could do to help the American win. Even those of us watching from home did our part, contributing to a record 3.4M views (ESPN).
In comparison, the men’s final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev attracted 2.3M viewers (ABC and ESPN+). The 1.1M difference is no surprise, but it’s still safe to say it was a significant and impressive turnout.
Fast forward a year, Gauff and Djokovic were far from their best, unable to make it past the fourth round, let alone defend their titles. But in a different story, we saw something remarkable. Two Americans, Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula, reached the finals in the men’s and women’s singles. TWO AMERICANS IN THE US OPEN FINAL—NOW THAT’S IMPRESSIVE. A REAL SHOW-STEALER. Right? RIGHT?
I guess not everyone felt that way. The Pegula vs Sabalenka clash drew 1.8M views, while Fritz vs Jannik Sinner got 1.7M. What a drop! It’s the lowest in quite a while. So, what went wrong? Was it a lack of star power? Maybe the tennis wasn’t as captivating? Or was it the scheduling?
We could debate this endlessly, but it boils down to two main points: the lack of star power definitely played a role, and American audiences simply don’t rally around tennis with the same enthusiasm they reserve for sports with BIGGER BALLS—such as basketball, NFL, etc.
So, does the USA have a tennis problem? It sure seems like it. I could go on about all the issues, but that would be a total snooze-fest and make me wish I were tackling complex math problems instead. But let's dive into it anyway.
2 home favorites made it to the US Open final, but they were not the ones Americans were rooting for
Here’s the blunt truth—Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz just weren’t the names everyone was hoping to see in the finals. Coco Gauff, Frances Tiafoe, or Ben Shelton would have drawn way more interest.
I respect Pegula and Fritz for what they’ve achieved, but let’s face it: if Fritz’s girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, had been playing instead, she might have pulled in more viewers. Heck, he wasn’t even the most talked-about Taylor that day, if you know what I mean.
And Pegula? She was doing her best to pump up the crowd, but it felt REALLY forced. Almost out of character for her usual 'DEMURE' and, as some might even say, 'AURA-LESS' personality. Now don’t start giving me a hard time for being a Gen Z; we can save that debate for another day.
Alright, jokes aside—let’s talk about some stats. The highest viewership for a US Open women’s final in a decade was in 2019 when Bianca Andreescu toppled Serena Williams, drawing an impressive 3.7M viewers. On the men’s side, it was the 2015 clash between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer that captured 3.2M eyes.
What’s the magic ingredient? It’s not rocket science. I mean, who wouldn’t want to catch a Djokovic vs Federer showdown? And Williams' dramatic quest for her first Slam post-motherhood against the up-and-coming Andreescu was a story nobody wanted to miss. If you’re not convinced, you’re missing the point—fans crave gripping narratives, and both of these finals delivered just that.
Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the viewership for finals from other years. Naomi Osaka vs Serena Williams in 2018 drew 3.1M views. Leylah Fernandez vs Emma Raducanu in 2021 attracted 2.4M, while Osaka vs Victoria Azarenka in 2020 got 2.2M. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev in 2019 saw 2.8M viewers, Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud in 2022 drew 2.1M, and Medvedev vs Djokovic in 2021 pulled in exactly 2M.
The pattern is clear—the audience interest peaks when there’s star power and compelling stories. The numbers speak for themselves and Fritz and Pegula alone didn’t have the RIZZ to pull it off.
Now you can tell me, "Dude, come on, it was an NFL Sunday—of course, that might have contributed to the worst viewership for a US Open men's final in four years." That's my point. The USA just doesn’t appreciate tennis much. Yet, there's this constant expectation for an American to win the Home Slam. It’s frustrating.
In a nutshell, Americans need to stop obsessing over stars and start appreciating tennis for what it truly is. They should get behind their homegrown talents, no matter who they are, and genuinely value the sport.
Will we ever see that happening? MAYBE. But honestly, don’t hold your breath for a quick fix—unless the USA takes a break from its love story with football, basketball, and baseball, tennis might remain in the shadows for a while.
Anyway, let’s hope for the best. After all, hope is what keeps us going, right? And as a wise person once said, "Delulu is the solulu."