A Sociological Analysis of Class, Gender, and Race in Professional Tennis

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the importance of professional sport in society and how social and economic factors influence the careers of professional athletes. An exploratory study is conducted which examines the media coverage of 4 professional tennis players from different social and economic backgrounds. The portrayal of race, class and gender in two prominent tennis magazines is used to investigate the existence of social hierarchies and economic disparities suggested in the research literature on sport and society. Results suggest that actual and stereotypic challenges still face athletes with regard to media exposure and career development.