Has Men's Tennis Become Dangerously Homoerotic?

Since the days of John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, there has been a strong current of masculinity in men’s professional tennis. Boys have long viewed these athletes as brotherly role models while women have appreciated them as icons of virility. Recently, with the rise of Latino and Mediterranean practitioners of the sport, that current has taken a decidedly sexual turn. Maybe this isn’t entirely coincidental. Indeed, the marketers behind “Big Tennis” have profited handsomely by using this new image to their commercial advantage. Far too often, today’s professional circuit is dominated by an unnecessarily pornographic tone, with players willingly embracing bare-chested photography and salacious advertising campaigns.