WHY LYING TO THE PUBLIC IS REALLY A DUMB STRATEGY, USTA! By Javier Palenque

Novak Djokovic recently remarked that tennis is losing ground globally to Padel and Pickleball. Supporting this claim, the Daily Mail—a respected UK newspaper—published an article that contradicts the most deceiving statements made by the USTA’s CEO.

The article highlights the significant growth of Padel in the UK compared to tennis. According to the Daily Mail, there are eighty-seven million tennis players worldwide, while the USTA’s CEO claims that twenty-four million of these players are in the USA. This implies that 28% of the global tennis population is in the US, a country with only 4.2% of the world’s population.

In contrast, the UK, with a population of sixty-seven million, has 861,000 tennis players, which is just 1.2% of its population and only 0.84% of the world’s population. The lie here by the USTA’s CEO is that he claims that 8.4% of the population in America plays tennis, when the reality is that the USTA has registered only 340K adults and 98K ?kids, or a combined 0.001% of the population. One is lying, the Daily Mail or the CEO? And if you will claim that 23.5M play in addition to the USTA registered people, then I ask you sir, why do you control the sport that 98% of the people have no business with the USTA? The reason is you have the sport hijacked, and your leadership does not exist, so the USTA takes advantage of the tax status, helps no one, and scams our government. It's so bad it is an embarrassment to dignity and honor anywhere but on the board of the USTA.

The USTA’s CEO's assertion that tennis will become the sport of 10% of the US population is not only unrealistic but also an insult to anyone’s intelligence. Most WTA events in the US have ceased to exist, no fans, many ATP events have left the country. I know the country very well, and I can state that the sport is dead in America, and in CA and FL the sport is so weak that we lose daily space to pickleball, even in Lake Nona, even though these two states have the best year-round weather in the world. Imagine the state of tennis in Queens NY it’s nonexistent ( this is where the US Open takes place). Remember the CEO decided to convert 50% of the courts with stands to pickbleball. So even though he claims growth potential, he surrenders the courts with a seating section. This fellow's lies are a noose to his position and he cannot figure this out.

The UK, despite hosting Wimbledon, has a much smaller percentage of its population playing tennis. Additionally, the growth rate of Padel in the UK over the past decade is 50%, compared to a mere 3% for tennis. These are facts that the USTA’s CEO deliberately ignores. This says a lot about leadership ability does it not? Remember in the UK it rains almost always, it's awful for outdoor play.

It is evident that the current USTA CEO is out of touch with the reality of the sport, and is failing to grow the sport due to this poor mentality. His claims and strategies lack credibility and demonstrate a lack of care for the sport. The USTA board must acknowledge this and take action to remove a CEO who is not only deceiving the public but also lacks the necessary experience and vision to lead the organization effectively. However, he protects the status quo, who buy now must be seen as the sports enemy. You understand this right?

Dear Board Members of the USTA, it is time to stop the lies and deception. They only work if there is no one watching over you. The current CEO is an embarrassment to the organization, making absurd participation and growth plans claims that are impossible to take seriously. The leadership under his tenure has been ineffective and untrustworthy. The sport of tennis deserves leaders who genuinely care about its growth and development, not individuals who are detached from the reality of the sport's current terrible standing caused by the Ol' Boys.

If there are any doubts about the data, please refer directly to the Daily Mail. Their editorial process ensures the accuracy of the information they publish. It is time for the USTA to embrace transparency and make the necessary changes to steer the sport in the right direction. This means getting rid of the Ol’ Boys, which of course they will never due. Therefore you know the future of the sport. It is very hard to find investors under this lack of logic.

What credibility can a CEO have if he lies about stuff that anyone with a keyboard can discredit? What hubris to think no one will validate what he says? How can the board allow this behavior and support the fellow who has cost $20M in sexual abuse settlements and has made a proposal to grow the sport by 9900% with less court space (pickleball), retiring senior adults (average age 63), no kids (75% quit by age 13), and without any financial commitment to the sport? (the money is only for PR purposes not to grow the sport). Does any board member know what fiduciary duties as directors mean?

Please, Mr. CEO, leave the sport to avoid any further embarrassment to your leadership. I don’t think you understand just how bad what you say and do is, and how damaging to the future of the sport your lies have become. We do not have 24M players, you cannot possibly grow the sport for it to be 10% of the population, and continuing to increase prices for the US Open, only makes the sport unaffordable even for well-off families.

I say NO to ineptitude and yes to growing the game.

I can be reached at [email protected]