In late January, a remarkable scene unfolded as thousands of people, some masked and others audaciously unmasked, made their way into Adelaide’s Memorial Drive Park. They were there to experience the resurgence of professional tennis after a year of pandemic lockdown. Little did they know, they were witnessing the end of a significant experiment.

Witnessing the End of a Tennis Experiment

The Impact of the Pandemic on Tennis Spectating

During the pandemic, in-person spectating became a victory of sorts. People were able to enjoy the feeling of jostling and being jostled once again. However, amidst the joy, we also had to take note of what we were giving up - the miracle of crowd-free tennis. The pandemic exposed the inequities in the world, and crowdless arenas removed some of the imbalance for both fans and players.For instance, my sofa became the best place to watch tennis. With no other options available due to SARS-CoV-2, I had a front-row seat to some thing never seen before - professional tennis in a State of Nature. Tennis was stripped bare, and players had to perform for the points, pay, and play without the usual plaudits.

The Essence of Tennis Without Performance Bonds

Released from the bonds of performance, tennis could be its essential self. It was a golden opportunity to test whether the sport would follow a more Hobbesian or Rousseauian pattern. Tennis showed that without the player-fan contract, it could still thrive. Superstars had to play like Nobody Special, and we got to watch the pure essence of the game.At the French Open, where only 1,000 daily visitors were allowed, the brilliance of Rafael Nadal's 20th Grand Slam title and Iga Swiatek's Cinderella story remained undimmed. Both Roland-Garros singles winners blew through the tournament without dropping a set, proving that tennis could be great even without an audience.

The Absence of Stressors in Crowdless Arenas

For those of us at home, the stress of being a housebound fan was mostly gone. There were no racist boos, iffy line judges, challenges, or outrage. We could focus on the artistry on display without any distractions. The discomfort of seeing certain behaviors was also gone, as everyone was at home, focused on the game.However, with the return of crowds during the Australian Open, the stressors returned. Boorish fans hooted and whistled, and there was outrage at the concept of Covid vaccines. This highlights the importance of crowdless tennis and the need to find a balance.