THE game of tennis has made great advances in recent years. Wooden racquets have been replaced by carbon. Court surfaces have been greatly improved. Hawk-Eye has made umpiring disputes virtually a thing of the past. But like all sports, it relies on the goodwill of the paying public if it is to continue to thrive. And yesterday tennis fans were very badly let down.
The forthcoming Davis Cup semi final between Great Britain and Australia at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, has been keenly anticipated ever since the venue was announced on August 12. Fans had yesterday’s date ringed in their diaries, and alarms were set for the supposed public sale at 7am. But the promised link did not appear.
Ticket tout websites were quick to capitalise, with briefs being sold for up to £1,000 – more than 10 times their original face value. The sport’s governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), tweeted: “We are sorry not everyone has been able to buy a ticket for @DavisCup due to exceptional demand.”
The demand may have been exceptional, but it was entirely predictable. The LTA and its service providers cannot escape censure for yesterday’s fiasco, and it is lamentable that touts were able lay their hands on a lucrative supply. Tennis fans will not quickly forgive this double fault.
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