RAVENOUS RANT: The French Open

In what is a completely disgraceful development, the French Open has rarely found itself on cable television for what is now more than a week of play. ESPN is contracted to show the beginning of the four tennis Grand Slams. I have previously had no issue with this. There multiple networks allow them the scheduling flexibility to play the rounds live and often again during prime hours in the USA, and they have secured the talent to create a very satisfactory telecast, and import the knowledgeable analysis into their highlight programs. However, during this tournament, they have disgraced themselves. The French Open has found itself residing on ESPN3, the new name for ESPN's 360 internet television. I did see early one morning last week that it was to be on ESPN2, but that was the only time. What is even more disgraceful is that not all the matches are even on ESPN3.com. I went to finally take in some matches on Sunday and I was not able to do so. I caught my first action of this French Open this morning at 10am, where I was able to see parts of Rafael Nadal's victory and the beginning of Nicolas Almagros impressive defeat of Fernando Verdasco. For those keeping score, I was not able to watch a single match until the FOURTH ROUND, when two of my favorite players Lletyon Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis were already elminated. From what I can see, ESPN is being kind enough to show us the quarterfinal matches tomorrow at noon, though I don't see that Wednesday's quarters will be available. I don't typically have many complaints about ESPN sports coverage, but this is a ridiculous showing. It would be one thing if their coveted NBA playoffs were taking place at 9am or Noon, when the matches are taking place, but they are scrapping tennis for constant rerunning of Sportcenter, episodes of Mike and Mike in the morning and sometimes mid-night reruns of previous sporting events. As I have said, I typically am not one to take on ESPN in these types of matters, but if this is how they are to treat tennis, then I don't see why they wouldn't want to save themselves some money and give the contract to a network that will respect it.

Ravenously,

-APT