{"id":2086570,"date":"2026-08-10T16:00:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2086570"},"modified":"2026-08-10T16:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:00:26","slug":"is-tennis-a-tougher-sport-than-football-the-debate-is-raging-amid-paul-scholes-vs-greg-rusedski-stand-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2086570","title":{"rendered":"Is tennis a tougher sport than football? The debate is raging amid Paul Scholes vs Greg Rusedski stand-off"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Is tennis a tougher sport than football? The debate is raging amid Paul Scholes vs Greg Rusedski stand-off<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/kevin-palmer\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Kevin Palmer                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"10 Aug 2026 5:00 PM\" data-ps-date=\"10 Aug 2026 5:00 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1786377626\"><br \/>\n                            10 Aug 2026 5:00 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/tennis-vs-football-debate-paul-scholes-greg-rusedski\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to facebook\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Ftennis-vs-football-debate-paul-scholes-greg-rusedski\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to twitter\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Ftennis-vs-football-debate-paul-scholes-greg-rusedski\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to linkedin\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/\/send\/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Ftennis-vs-football-debate-paul-scholes-greg-rusedski\" aria-label=\"Share to whatsapp\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Ftennis-vs-football-debate-paul-scholes-greg-rusedski\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Is tennis a tougher sport than football? The debate is raging amid Paul Scholes vs Greg Rusedski stand-off\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Rusedski-Scholes-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Greg Rusedski and (inset) Paul Scholes\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Greg Rusedski and (inset) Paul Scholes                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p>Is it easier to hit the heights in tennis than in football?<\/p>\n<p>This debate ignited last week when former British No 1 Greg Rusedski hit out at claims from former Manchester United playmaker Paul Scholes that tennis is an \u2018easier\u2019 sport to succeed in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery two minutes you go and have your nice little glass of orange juice,\u201d said Scholes on an episode of The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can play it when you\u2019re 50, tennis. Play it when you\u2019re 70. Football is much more demanding than tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rusedski didn\u2019t hold back in his view that Scholes was misguided in his snipes at tennis and he has expanded on his views in the latest edition of his podcast.<\/p>\n<h2>More Tennis News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/aryna-sabalenka-defeat-concern-aura-slipping-rusedski\">Aryna Sabalenka alarm bells ringing as former British No 1 makes worrying aura claim<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/alex-eala-compared-serena-williams-greg-rusedski\">Alex Eala gets the ultimate comparison as she is placed along a tennis GOAT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou look at a tennis match, you\u2019re running between three and five miles. Footballers probably between six and eight miles when they\u2019re playing,\u201d began Rusedski.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo yes, the footballers might do more yardage, but also they\u2019re within a team. Tennis, it\u2019s you who\u2019s doing all the running. And it\u2019s multiple, it\u2019s like a thousand sprints all the time because you\u2019re on full blast sprinting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no sort of jogging around in tennis. That doesn\u2019t really exist. So the anaerobic and cardio issue it is a little bit more difficult in tennis, I would say.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd also the skill set. The serve, which is one of the hardest things for anybody in the public to learn, is the motor skills. On top of that, you got to think week in, week out, you\u2019re getting five matches a week if you\u2019re going to win the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou look at Alex Eala. She\u2019s played eight matches in less than two weeks. I don\u2019t know too many footballers that play eight matches in less than two weeks. That just doesn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DbtH2yBpYlt\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px\">\n<p><a style=\"background: #FFFFFF;line-height: 0;padding: 0 0;text-align: center;text-decoration: none;width: 100%\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DbtH2yBpYlt\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex;flex-direction: row;align-items: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex;flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block;height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex;flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex;flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center;white-space: nowrap\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DbtH2yBpYlt\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Off Court with Greg Rusedski | Podcast (@offcourtwithgreg)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Rusedski believes the challenge for tennis players is multiplied by the need to fund their own career and pay for their travelling staff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve got to fund your whole team. You\u2019ve got to think, okay, I\u2019ve got to pay for my coach, I\u2019ve got to pay for my flights, I\u2019ve got to pay for my physio, I\u2019ve got to organise a business from a very, very young age,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re fortunate to have a wealthy federation or a sponsor or good sponsors, then it\u2019s a little bit easier, but still you\u2019ve got to pick and choose who\u2019s going to be there. It\u2019s not like you get into football, here\u2019s the manager, here\u2019s Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger, and they dictate what\u2019s happening. You\u2019ve got to make the choices and you\u2019ve got to make the decisions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso psychologically, I think it\u2019s a lot more difficult because it\u2019s a one-on-one combat. You either win or you lose. You don\u2019t share it with the team. You can have a bad match in football and still win or be substituted and still get your bonus. We don\u2019t get paid unless we win.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you sign a football contract, you are guaranteed to get paid. If we get injured, you\u2019re not getting paid. All your contracts are tied to it. Everything is there and you have to win.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo I have to say I think tennis is a much more difficult sport. We had a few arguments where it went both directions, but I have a few friends of mine who are footballers and they agreed with me that they thought tennis was a more difficult sport.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, look at that year that Novak won the Australian Open. He played Andy Murray for nearly six hours and then he had to one day off and then played another six-hour match to win the Australian Open.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have to win seven matches in two weeks. And you\u2019re telling me, okay, a guy who\u2019s played twelve hours for two matches, it\u2019s harder than somebody who\u2019s run around for ninety minutes? I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It is a great debate, but it will come as no surprise that Tennis365 falls on Rusedski\u2019s side in this debate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ NEXT: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/carlos-alcaraz-injury-us-open-withdrawal\">Carlos Alcaraz out of the US Open? Grand Slam finalist makes big withdrawal claim after injury setback<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is tennis a tougher sport than football? The debate is raging amid Paul Scholes vs Greg Rusedski stand-off Kevin Palmer 10 Aug 2026 5:00 PM Greg Rusedski and (inset) Paul Scholes Is it easier to hit the heights in tennis than in football? This debate ignited last week when former British No 1 Greg Rusedski [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2086570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2086570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2086570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2086570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2086570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}