Jermaine O’Neal tennis expert

[sunshine]

The media should point out the great difference between young tennis stars an NBA players who arrive fresh out of HS. One obvious difference is that the NBA player is given a lucrative contract wheras in individual sports like tennis and golf you have to earn it on a weekly basis. O'Neal and the media play dumb when it comes to so called country club sports but they should know bettter. There are young female tennis players but their lives are not so gravy. First, a Maria comes around infrequently. Second travel is very rigorous and expensive. Third they are bound up in a tight schedule of school work and practice with the coach basically serving as an all purpose adult support group. They spend countless lonely hours at tennis practice, much of it boring. No cheering crowds. Most are anonymous. And most do not reach the top. Sounds like a real nice life for spoiled so called rich girls? Many come from poor backgrounds. Pay is not great when you consider travel expenses unless you start reaching quarter and semi -finals. And tennis is really the only sport around where you go man to man against your opponent which requires a healthy amount of inner toughness which is why Maria gets so much respect.. Only the seemingly dying sport of boxing has the same feature. In other words the media portrays young tennis stars as Britney Spears types with easy money and life in the fun fast lane. Think again. That kind of lifestyle betterfits the high schooler who just wrapped up a multi million dollar contract to play in the NBA.

 

[sunshine]

And like to add young tennisplayers have restrictions. Unlike a HS player drafted in the NBA who can play every game is warrented etc.., younger femaletennis players are only allowed to enter x number of events. It is important to clarfy these matters because the media too often pretends all the sports are the same when it comes to younger participants.