Tennis & Racquet Fitness

My top 5 tennis tournaments to see in person.

For those that have been able to attend a Grand Slam tennis match, it is something special.  I have had the privilege of attending Wimbledon, The French Open, The U.S. Open,  BNP Paribas at Indian Wells, Monte Carlo Open and The Miami Open.  The BNP Paribas at Indian Wells, The Miami Open, Monte Carlo Open and The Cincinnati Open are not Grand Slams, but are really great tournaments.  On my bucket list is The Australian Open and The Cincinnati Open. 

Here are my top 5 in order of the best tennis tournaments to visit in person.

1.        Wimbledon

2.        The French Open

3.        BNP Paribas at Indian Wells

4.        Monte Carlo Open

5.        The U.S. Open

1.        Wimbledon – has been played at the All England Club on grass since 1877 and is the only Major played on grass.  The 2025 tournament is scheduled for June 30 - July 13, with prize money for the champions of 2,700,000 euros.

Wimbledon is my favorite, but The French Open is close.  Wimbledon is the granddaddy of them all and the most prestigious.  There is also something to be said about being in London for the tourism. The grass courts and grounds are impeccable, and there isn’t a weed to be found.  I found the atmosphere and food first class.  The strawberries and champagne are abundant and it is fairly easy to walk around the grounds.  There is also something special about Henman Hill, where people gather on a grass hill watching tennis on a very big screen.  And,  Wimbledon remains one of the very few major sporting events where you can buy tickets on the day of play, and the Queue remains a popular way for guests to attend The Championships. 

The Stadium courts are Centre Court, which seats 14.979 people, courts #1, #2, #3 and courts 12 and 18.  There are 9 inside courts. Court 18 is situated at the other end of the grounds and is dug into the foot of Henman Hill, making this court perhaps the most unique stadium at The Championships. Here you’ll also find a plaque commemorating the longest ever tennis match ever played, which took place on Court 11 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2011 and lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.  The shortest match was in 1922 where in the final Suzanne Lenglen defeated Molla Mallory, 6–2, 6–0, in 23 minutes.

Wimbledon has a nighttime curfew of 11pm under the lights.  Players wear all white, which adds to the magic of the tournament.  I would suggest trying the Queue if you’re on a tight budget, but if not go for one of the Stadium courts during the day.  It’s a great experience!

2.        The French Open began in 1891 and has been played at Roland Garris since 1925.  It is named after a famous aviator in WW1.  It is considered the most physically demanding since is played on clay.  Each champion receives $2.7M Euro. 

The French Open on clay, in Paris, in June is very special.  I found the atmosphere and seating for the matches a little more intimate.  On my first day, there was a rain delay.  We were fortunate to have great seats that got us in to a dining area with a very nice buffet.  We sat at a table drinking wine and champagne with 2 other couples…one from Germany and one from Spain.  That was a nice rain delay.

Television doesn’t convey the hard hitting and power you see in person.  The game is very fast close up.

3.        Indian Wells is also a favorite.  It can get very hot, but walking the grounds is easy and you can see the players practicing on numerous courts.  Many of the players also stay at The La Quinta which has many courts.  I had a chance to have breakfast courtside and watch Novak Djokovic practice.  A great experience.  Palm Springs is a tennis destination and almost all hotels have courts and drills going on during the tournament.  Highly recommend this tournament.

4.        The Monte Carlo Open is so unique, partly because you are in Monte Carlo.  The tournament is played on clay and it too is an intimate setting so you can get up close to the matches and see the beautiful water from you seats.  The wind can pick up and sometimes the courts aren’t in the best of shape, but I rank this high due to it being in Monte Carlo and one of the first clay tournaments of the season.

5.        While the US Open is a big time tournament, it just gets too crowded.  The lines are long and if you are lucky enough to have a good seat you will enjoy it.  The nosebleed seats are way up there.  The night matches are pretty cool and being in New York City is too.  The play is always great and being a major it is in my top 5.  I know some will put The US Open higher in a ranking, but for me there is just too many people.