Australian Open information 2023: Craig Tiley’s PR Blitz with out Ash Barty, Roger Federer, Serena Williams

However. And it’s an enormous however.

Tennis followers aren’t foolish and when the man who runs the primary grand slam of the 12 months tries to tug a swifty on them, eyebrows are raised.

Final week Tiley was on the hustings spreading the phrase about new sponsorship offers and rolling out all of the regulation plugs required to maintain those that pay the payments glad.

In the course of the PR blitz he supplied this: “I’m additionally happy with the truth that this 12 months is our greatest subject. So far as the entries go, each single participant – we’ve had a couple of pull-outs as you recognize from damage, however that is our greatest subject we’ve had each on the boys and the ladies.”

Greatest subject ever! WOW.

The tennis world continues to be coming to phrases with the retirements of Roger Federer and Serena Williams who between them received 13 occasions at Melbourne Park. So telling us their absence – they each solely formally retired final 12 months – makes the match higher is already a stretch.

Then we get to Ash Barty who actually bought Tiley out of jail final 12 months. After the Novak Djokovic Covid visa debacle, the very fact she stepped up and created historical past by successful the match ensured we have been all heat and fuzzy in regards to the Open by the top of the 2 weeks.

Filling the void left by Barty’s shock retirement was all the time going to be inconceivable and the followers understood that however absolutely the match will not be higher off along with her watching from her sofa in Brisbane.

No Barty and no Serena put the highlight on the ladies and this can be a massive downside for Tiley’s “finest” claims.

And then Naomi Osaka, a two-time Australian Open winner, and one of many extra intriguing folks on the tour publicizes she’s not coming. A few days later she follows that up by asserting her being pregnant.

Venus Williams was given a wildcard, most probably for publicity functions, however then was pressured to tug out after choosing up an damage in New Zealand.

One other former No.1 Simona Halep, who the Aussie crowd have warmed to due to her earlier hyperlinks to native coach Darren Cahill, is lacking due to a drug suspension.

Different acquainted names similar to Angelique Kerber, the 2016 Australian Open champion, who’s anticipating her first youngster and Elina Svitolina, a former world No.3 who gave beginning to her first youngster with French participant Gael Monfils final 12 months, are additionally lacking.

The brand new era is coming however the issue for Tiley is that they’re not right here but. This concern was voiced by US legend John McEnroe who within the lead-up stated he felt for world No.1 Iga Swiatek who seems to be a good means forward of the pack now.

“I feel when Ash Barty retired that clearly despatched shockwaves as a result of here’s a younger lady at 25 that had come off successful Wimbledon, then successful the Australian Open and also you assume ‘OK she’s going to the US Open within the subsequent 12 months and it’s only a matter of time’,” McEnroe advised Eurosport.

“Clearly, I hope she’s glad, you by no means need to see somebody stroll away from it that younger as a result of then you definately’re like ‘what’s fallacious with the ladies’s sport that the No.1 participant walked away from the sport aged 25’?’

“We had that situation too as a result of my buddy and my rival Bjorn Borg walked away and by no means performed a significant after 25. It will damage me, and my profession, I consider.

“For Swiatek, not having that rival, I consider it hurts the game.”

Whereas Djokovic’s return was all the time going to dominate headlines alongside native hero Nick Kyrgios’ try and emulate Barty and break an extended drought of native winners on the boys’s facet, the opposite thrilling narrative was alleged to be round present world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz.

He stormed to victory on the US Open final 12 months which led him to turning into the youngest-ever males’s No.1 on the age of 19.

Alcaraz was box-office and a transparent a part of Tiley’s promotional plans . . . till he withdrew final week due to damage.

And to rub salt into the injuries former Australian Open finalist Marin Cilic pulled out on Thursday, simply earlier than the match draw.

Which brings us again to the “finest ever” situation. Everyone knows the Open will present some memorable moments, it all the time does, however there are holes within the fields. That’s truth, not spin.

Initially printed as Australian Open information 2023: Craig Tiley’s PR Blitz with out Ash Barty, Roger Federer, Serena Williams