In team sports, parity is often encouraged. It breeds hope and allows fans to stay engaged. But with individual sports, parity can lead to disinterest.
While men’s tennis is reaching new heights, the lack of stability atop the women’s game has hurt its appeal.
The French Open men’s semifinals feature Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The storylines are enthralling. Federer, who has reached his record-tying 31st Grand Slam semifinal, is seeking to add to his record 16 major titles. Djokovic is trying to become the first man to hold all four major championships at the same time since Rod Laver in 1969. And Nadal is going for a record seventh French Open title.
On the women’s side, there will be a different major champion for the sixth Grand Slam in a row. With the inconsistency of the aging Williams sisters — both were eliminated by the second round in the French Open — the top ranking has been reserved for players like the lesser-known Victoria Azarenka or majorless Caroline Wozniacki.
But if there’s a savior for women’s tennis, maybe it’s Maria Sharapova. On Thursday, she defeated Petra Kvitova to reach her first French Open final — clinching the top spot in the women’s rankings in the process.
In the French Open championship Saturday, she’ll be trying to complete a career Grand Slam. A win and Sharapova again becomes the face of women’s tennis. But a loss to 21st-seeded Sara Errani would mean another first-time finalist would take home the title and would signify even more parity in the sport — which is not a good thing.
– Jeffrey Tomik
