An All-Black Final and Tennis Channel’s “Swag” Reflex

Key Points:

• Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils will contest the Cincinnati Open final, marking the first ATP Masters 1000 final between two Black men and only the seventh all-Black men’s singles final in ATP history.
• Both players are seeking their first Masters 1000 title, with Tiafoe having reached this final level once before at Cincinnati, while it is Fils’ debut at this stage.
• Despite the historic significance, Tennis Channel commentators repeatedly described the final using the term “swaggy,” a phrase disproportionately applied to Black players, which some critics view as a racialized and clichéd trope.
• Research into Tennis Channel’s usage of “swag” revealed it is predominantly used by anchor Prakash Amritraj to describe Black players, raising concerns about stereotyping and limiting the term’s broader, non-racial meaning of confidence and style.
• The article suggests Tennis Channel should either stop using “swaggy” or apply it more inclusively across all players, noting many non-Black tennis athletes also exhibit unique styles and confidence deserving of the term.