A dip in tennis TV viewership, but with platinum linings

Apr. 7 | There was a significant drop-off in daily TV viewership for the Sony Ericsson Open, which ended last week, but it’s not related to the declining fortunes of U.S. tennis players and, as bad as the numbers look at first blush, there’s some...

All too human — 2012 Sony Ericsson Open recap

Apr. 5 | By Andrea Leand Victoria Azarenka had to be the one to remind us that our top tennis stars are not “superhuman,” she said, but  “human being(s) with good days and bad days.” Thank goodness for that, as their foibles and follies during the...

Maria Sharapova signs three-year sponsorship deal with Samsung: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

Apr. 4 | Maria Sharapova at the Sony Ericsson Open Sharapova signs three-year sponsorship deal with Samsung World No. 2 Maria Sharapova has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Samsung Electronics Co., according to her agent Max Eisenbud of IMG, as reported...

The Marvel that is Djokovic: Last Day at the Sony Ericsson Open

Apr. 2 | By Thomas Swick It is a testament to Novak Djokovic’s current dominance that he can play subpar tennis for a set – as he did in his last two matches here – and still win the set. And the match. And the championship. His match Sunday against Andy...

Making the Best of Things at the Sony Ericsson Open

Mar. 31 | By Thomas Swick If not for Andy Roddick, tennis fans would probably have woken up yesterday morning eager for Fab Four Friday at the Sony Ericsson Open. One assumes that, had he not lost to Roddick, Roger Federer would have gone on to defeat Juan Monaco...

Strangeness at the Sony Ericsson Open

Mar. 30 | By Thomas Swick It’s getting quieter here, and not just because Victoria Azarenka is gone. There was no cluster of cars at the Rickenbacker tollbooth this morning; no great multitude waiting impatiently to cross Crandon Boulevard into the tennis...

Serbian Hats, Middle-Aged Ball Boys, and Unanswered Questions from the Sony Ericsson Open

Mar. 29 | By Thomas Swick At around 1 pm yesterday, Agnieszka Radwanska walked onto the stadium court, placed her heavy bag on her chair, and took out a plastic bag of bottled drinks as if she had just entered her compartment for a long train ride. It was the...

Nadal Resigns as Vice President of ATP Player Council: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

Mar. 28 | Rafael Nadal at the Sony Ericsson Open (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Nadal resigns as Vice President of ATP Player Council World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has resigned from his post as vice president of the ATP Player Council, citing the fact that...

The Redundancy of Defeat: Sony Ericsson Open

Mar. 28 | By Thomas Swick Tennis is a game of losers. If you don’t lose today, you lose tomorrow (or the day after). You travel from tournament to tournament and, unless your name is known to millions, you generally leave early. One hundred and ninety-two...

Roddick’s masterpiece over Federer harkens back to 2003

Mar. 27 | Suddenly, it was 2003 again for Andy Roddick, slashing and hustling and playing with extreme confidence, just as he did as he torched his way through a series of tournaments leading to the U.S. Open title that year. His clothes bore a Reebok logo instead...

The Feast That Is the Sony Ericsson Open

Mar. 27 | By Thomas Swick “Hey, Tom, you just spent five days watching tennis. What are you gonna do now?” “Watch more tennis.” Some people don’t understand this. They don’t realize that the beginning of a tournament, when the top-seeded players...

A different Serena avenges US Open Loss to Stosur without hindrance

Mar. 26 | It wasn’t the U.S. Open final, so you could hardly call it a straight shot at revenge, but this was a very different Serena Williams this afternoon at the Sony Ericsson Open as she served her way past Sam Stosur, and, thank goodness, we didn’t...