Tennis

‘Bumps’ for ESPN’s US Open coverage helps tennis stars connect with fans

NEW YORK — Understanding that tennis is not simply a ball going back and forth across the net but involves two people hitting the ball across that net, the ESPN Tennis team emphasizes “discovery and access” to help personalize the athletes.

This goal is accomplished through features, on-set interviews, access to places at the venue unavailable to fans and through “bumps”– the segments leading in and out of commercial breaks.

Shot at majors such as the U.S. Open and other events, the bumps allow the players to express their personality even as they are directed to sit or stand in a certain way, look here, look there, look down and then up, etc.

It may seem awkward to the subject at first, but as Cathi Cappas — a longtime features producer on the ESPN tennis team who oversees these shoots — and No. 3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska explain, the players have grown to trust ESPN in helping them connect with fans.

Video produced by Dave Nagle and Tonya Malinowski.

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