Gauff: The United States is really weak in tennis, and the support from home fans is extremely lukewarm.

Last night, American star Gauff expressed her dissatisfaction in an interview, believing that American spectators have consistently shown little enthusiasm for tennis, resulting in very empty stands at this year’s United Cup.

At first, the reporter simply asked Gauff if she had received more backing from local fans at this year’s United Cup, but she responded with complaints, “To be honest, not really. I think in tennis, we (the U.S. team) probably have the coldest fan support. I often say I wish people in our country could show the kind of unity that fans from smaller nations display all over the world.”

However, she seemed to reconsider her words and quickly shifted tone, saying, “But then again, I guess it might be because America excels in so many sports that tennis fans are naturally spread out. Indeed, I believe there should be more American fans in Melbourne than in Perth. If I make it to Sydney this year, I hope to see more American supporters than last year.”

Gauff emphasized that tennis appears to be consistently undervalued and even sidelined in the U.S., which she finds very disappointing. She gave examples: despite their great success at last year’s United Cup and her own French Open singles title last year, these achievements have not sparked much excitement among American tennis fans, a country with a rich tennis history. The clearest evidence is the scarcity of red, white, and blue elements (the national colors) in the stands during team events, which leaves her feeling puzzled and helpless.

But Gauff said that when she competes in other countries, she can clearly feel the passion of the fans and the overwhelming support for their home players in the stands, which she admits makes her envious.

In the interview, Gauff helplessly expressed her wish that American fans could show the same kind of unity as those from smaller countries worldwide. This contrast between hope and reality reveals the common dilemma faced by American tennis stars.

In fact, in the U.S., the professional sports market is highly developed, with football, basketball, baseball, and hockey dominating the sports culture. Although tennis has a long history, it faces fierce competition in attracting audience attention and resources.

At the same time, the pattern of tennis fan support worldwide is changing. American audiences seem more inclined to watch matches at home rather than follow their players abroad, a difference possibly related to cultural traditions, economic factors, and sports consumption habits.

Looking ahead to upcoming matches, Gauff maintains a practical yet optimistic outlook. She said that if she can reach the United Cup final again this year, she hopes to see more American fans supporting her than last year. She stressed that through her and her team’s efforts, she wants more Americans to fall in love with and pay greater attention to tennis.

Gauff’s remarks sparked heated discussion online. One American netizen commented, “Why would she say that? It’s really strange. As spectators, we have many options, and tennis matches are quite long, so many people don’t have the patience. Besides, tennis players have to travel a lot, which is a big challenge for fans.”

Another commenter said, “The situation of tennis in the U.S. feels terrible. Besides the issue of fan support, American players face even worse conditions at home tournaments. For example, the infamous 2004 US Open match where Serena Williams was wrongly judged against Capriati, or the 2001 Indian Wells incident where Serena faced booing and hostility. It’s hard to imagine players receiving genuine fan support under such complicated circumstances. Gauff is right; the U.S. has many shortcomings in tennis but has long ignored them.”

So, what do you think about this? Feel free to leave your opinions and thoughts in the comments section.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)