When it comes to the famous world of tennis, it can be slightly confusing for new spectators to understand where and how to watch their new favorite players. If you spent any time on Netflix last year, you might have seen the famous tennis documentary series titled “Break Point” which followed some of the season’s most accomplished players and saw them navigate different tournaments. This, unsurprisingly, created a large spike in interest in the sport. Therefore, this article is fitting as it aims to give insight into some of the best tennis championships for you to keep an eye on, so that you might gain a better understanding of the sport and appreciation for what these excellent and talented athletes do.
Wimbledon
The best tournament to start with is arguably the most famous and the most prestigious, which is Wimbledon. This tournament forms part of the Grand Slam, of which there are four but most would agree that this is the most famous one.
Wimbledon is an old British tradition that dates back to 1877 making it the oldest tennis championship in the world. The reason many maintain that this is the pinnacle of prestige is due to the traditions that have been kept for such a long time. Just as back in 1877, players still needed to play on grass, the rules around an all-white attendance are still very much upheld although there is slightly more leniency than before, athletes need to display impeccable manners all championship long and the royal family often still comes to view the final.
The Wimbledon is the championship that many famous athletes talk about winning and a win in Wimbledon would be their career highlight. Many fans know this and actually bet on these players after playing a game of BonusFinder UK has reviewed a lot of new online slots, thereby showing their interest in sports betting.
Some of the most noteworthy wins have been Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal. Names that you are most assuredly aware of.
French Open
The most famous thing about the French Open is the fact that it is, as mentioned above, played on clay. One of the biggest superstars to truly excel on clay was Rafael Nadal, who won four of those titles. It is one of the most visually appealing championships, as it is held in Paris, which is a city that even busy athletes take time to enjoy.
The Roland Garros Stadium was opened in 1928, making it one of the oldest tennis stadiums and championships in the world. Many do not know this but the reason that it is called Roland Garros is because the president of the “Staude Francais” asked for it to be named after his former college roommate, Roland Garros, who had died in World War Two. Making it one of the touching reasons behind any name of any stadium.
Australian Open
This is often one of the most nerve-wracking Grand Slams for the athletes, not because of its location but rather because it is the first on the calendar. Therefore, this is the one that players are coming to from their holidays, which means that it is slightly more difficult to get into.
It’s an exciting event and is arguably the biggest sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to its location away from Europe and the Americas, which are places that a lot of players are from, it can sometimes be rather exhausting for players to get used to the time difference. That is the only thing that many players speak about being quite difficult.
The fans themselves are always eager to have fantastic players in Melbourne. The stadium is large and houses many players and the hard-court surface is advantageous for certain players and not for others. The great thing about all these different Grand Slam championships is that players can play on different courts. So just as with the US Open, the Australian Open it’s a hard court made of acrylic matter, whereas Wimbledon is played on grass and the French Open, also known as Roland Garros, is played on clay. This is great because if one player feels more comfortable on clay, then they can use this to their advantage during Roland Garros.
US Open
The second of the Grand Slam events is known as the US Open. This one operates completely differently from the British one, mainly because it is based in the United States. Many players speak about the pressures being higher in terms of media coverage with the US Open as there are so many sponsors, celebrities and paparazzi present here.
If you’ve watched the series mentioned above, “Break Point“, you will see that many players say that it is much harder to focus during the US Open, especially if you are not from America, as the spectators in the stands are very vocal in their support of their American players. You might also see that at the US Open, housed in New York, a city that never sleeps and that is constantly buzzing, it’s hard for athletes to focus when they’re there as there are so many distractions. Whereas Wimbledon is held on the outer banks of London, not directly in the busy city, creating a far more tranquil experience.
As you can see from the above, these are the four oldest and most prestigious tennis championships in the world. If you have the time to watch these games in person, well, then you are most certainly in for a treat.
