ESPN's live coverage of sports can be questionable, but fans are forced to watch no matter what the problems might be. The four-letter network owns a lot of rights to things, such as the ability to broadcast Wimbledon to a Western Hemisphere audience.
Still, those making the directorial decisions during the men's Wimbledon final between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev need to be questioned. The match was tight and entertaining, with both players performing at a high level. It was a great example of how good the sport can be. Not that ESPN would have those casual viewers believe that.
Instead, in the first set of a back-and-forth match, ESPN panned to 77-year-old Stan Smith, a Wimbledon winner in 1972, in the crowd near center court, and Smith had his eyes closed, apparently napping. After a few seconds, coverage panned to something else, only to come back to Smith with his eyes open, cheering after a great point was played.
ESPN showing sleeping Stan Smith at Wimbledon final was not smart
Tennis needs more North American fans, those who are preoccupied with what NFL teams are doing for much of the year, and the sport is already viewed as "boring" by some who have no idea what tennis is about or how difficult it can be.
Arguably, the best athletes in the world play tennis. One has to be quick and fast in a sprint while executing low-percentage shots at more than 100 mph. That a handful of elite players make it look easy is almost unfair because those who play on the weekends know it isn't.
Stan Smith out for the count pic.twitter.com/o3nq6FTzW0
— Barstool Tennis (@StoolTennis) July 12, 2026
Whoever was directing the Sinner and Zverev coverage must be an NFL fan. Watching a septuagenarian taking a potential nap isn't entertaining or funny. Stan Smith wouldn't appreciate it, and true tennis fans wouldn't either. Showing the image was a disservice to the sport and to ESPN, trying to bring those who don't follow tennis religiously to the screens. It was wrong.
Of course, this is nothing new regarding tennis. It has an important global fandom, but the marketing is more specific. Players and companies can make a lot of money off the sport. It is high entertainment. Just don't ask ESPN to prove that to you.
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