WTA/ATP 2025 calendar show — teenage parade continues
View(s):
Alexandra Eala, the teenager from Philippines
Tennis label and image of being a late maturity sport been dismantled one more time this year. True, teenage players have dominated and excelled in tennis in the past, but their numbers and frequency in the past five to 10 years has made it expected than exception.
Last week Alexandra Eala, a 19-year-old Philippine girl sent shock wave shake up to Asian talents not just beating Madison Keys in the prestigious Miami Open of 2025 but reached last 16 the Miami event. A top end event in professional tennis calendar. Most of us hearing her name first time went ‘wow’ and again ‘wow’ being an Asian.
While Iga Swiatek, No.1 of the WTA ranking, another of the springtime queens, now at 23 is finding it hard to maintain the status after dominating the world of women’s tennis at 17. Stress shows, when I noticed Swiatek was taking toilet breaks and reading notes at changeover, it was clear that she was no more the same girl we saw five years ago. Teenage sensation is very appealing refreshment in a game like tennis. The numbers appeared under this banner in the past 20 years really shows how attractive tennis is to teenagers, also the challenges in maintaining the winning streak. We are human.
Alexandra Eala of Philippines is tall and stood tall as Madison Keys whom she beat last week in Miami Open. The number of teenage players in the immediate past of 2025 taking forced injury breaks has increased along with their participation numbers.
US Open winner British teenager Emma Raducanu is still in the picture. Actually, in and out of hospitals while hiring and firing coaches. She did not become the stockbroker she wanted to be after winning the US Open title at 17. [Even had well publicised visit to the New York Stock exchange soon after winning the US Open title]. Dreams are often distractions when it comes to becoming a good tennis player. Tennis players cannot shift the blame, but endure all that comes in a carrier. Raducanu is determined even after good few hospitalisation stints. Admirable spirit.
Respectful new games
Equipment and court surfaces making for tennis easier not an advantage anymore in cities. Players are appearing from remotes places of the world, after selection trained in known and centrally placed academies. Regardless who, what and how a player comes to being, the player still has to take every minute to minute training without physical breakdown, accumulate and execute skills under enormous challenge and conclude a match until it lasts. This could be between from forty minutes to four hours. In this sense, world will respect every player for their effort the most than the outcome.
Year 2025
Without even sensing, we have lived through one quarter of this century. Sports has gained popularity in participation, especially in easy acquiring brands. Emphasis has shifted to easier sport, which does not need 10 plus years of exposure to be competent.
In line with the popularity of the 150 year old British game of tennis, ‘para-tennis’ in many forms appeared could be mastered in few months but did not last. Space, skill and frequency to keep up tennis is too demanding. Even in our island state capital many easy skill para-tennis facilities has come to being. It is a delivery to accommodate space and time constrains of urban living. From what I can see could lead to proper tennis skills without many ultra-expensive hours of coaching – if done correct.
Paramount ‘Olympic’ blessing
Tennis was not an Olympic sport and went on its own steam for over a century from 1840s. In this time, there were large areas of the world not exposed to tennis. IOC funding process is a big incentive to promote sport. The post IOC period in tennis, it reached remote lands. [The unfortunate has happened with this IOC generosity in our isle of Sri Lanka - they are our faults - the scandalous scale and procedures were frightening and has undermined IOC the world body]
I remember attending one many ITF tennis seminar where Kuwait leader stating how tennis is relatively unknown in his country. It was in early 1990s. IOC has changed this. All-need-not-be negative about IOC. The blame is on our side. We have refused to learn and be unfaithful towards their generosity.
TV’s blessing
We can see all big events with a ringside view in our TV. What more replay of the matches are possible. Missing the live play, condensed. Best are the clips in the computer. To an astute student there always something to learn, even in the 70s. The next seven months will show globally popular tennis is. To play, to watch, to gain scholarships, for health and to socialise. As a friend said recently, knowledge of sport has many advantages, mostly to de-stress from modern living. Top end of women and men of the world will performing in the next six months. Learn is a good word to remember if you are a student of the game.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka;
Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach, coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–