Now that football has been wiped from the ETSU sports menu and basketball season became a disappointing dish, maybe we should focus our athletic appetites to something with more excitement.
Men’s tennis has been overlooked for years even though in the past three years they have won two Southern Conference Championships filling their appetites with trophies.
Head coach Yaser Zaatini, just inducted into the Bucs’ Hall of Fame, is a former player who understands how it feels to win and be acknowledged. So why does the team not get any attention from students or the community anymore?
Fans in general do not seem to support other sports besides basketball in Johnson City and it’s a shame.
The tennis team not only wins their conference games, but also is providing an opportunity for international students.
Internationalization, while it brings a diverse side of sports, has also provoked Americans to turn their attention back to its national pastimes. At one time the tennis world was dominated by the likes of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Pete Sampras. Now most Americans couldn’t name the best of the best in tennis, reason being most of the top 10 are not Americans.
It could be a problem of ETSU’s lack of international flare. Students seem more apt to support the big sports such as football and basketball. It’s not just the ETSU fans and students, it’s also the local media.
Even the local papers do not give the tennis team the same coverage as the basketball team. Oscar Posada, who is ranked No. 33 in the nation, is the Tim Smith of tennis but does not get the same attention that Smith does.
It may not just be a local problem but a national problem as well. If it’s not the grand slam matches such as Wimbledon, the French Open, Australian or U.S. Open tennis largely not covered.
The problem comes down to how to make this sport media- and fan-friendly again.
The team has beaten Davidson and the University of Texas-San Antonio enroute to a seven match winning streak.
The only reason tennis remains is because of private alumni funds. And because of those funds tennis is getting new facilities in the coming years. It is unlikely that tennis will face a tragic ending like football.

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