5th Grand Slam

[Blinkism]

Originally Posted by THERAFA

Plus a 5th slam won't feel prestige at all, it will feel like a fake slam, especially if it was Miami, you won't find European tennis fans calling some tournament in Miami a slam. Australian Open struggled for slamness for so long, it only is just gaining power.

The Aussie open is still kind of lacking in slam-ness... slam-ocity?

I think the key to a slam having some tradition would be for a single player to win it, atleast 3 times consecutively and atleast 5 times in their career. Andre Agassi is the closest thing to it, but a player who dominates the Australian Open will be attached to it's overall aura. Kind of like how Borg and Nadal own the French Open, and Sampras and Federer own Wimbledon.

Also, the Aussie Open is seen as the lesser hardcourt Grand Slam because of it's similarity to the U.S. Open, which itself is prestigious. Maybe another change of surface is needed? Carpet slam?

[THERAFA]

Yeah Carpet slam sounds good to me, and change Sydney International and Adelaide Invitational and Tasmania and Hopman Cup to carpet too to make a full season of it.

I was disappointed when AO got rid of the rebound ace. I liked rebound ace especially when it was really slow, very good contrast back then.

[Blinkism]

Originally Posted by THERAFA

Yeah Carpet slam sounds good to me, and change Sydney International and Adelaide Invitational and Tasmania and Hopman Cup to carpet too to make a full season of it.

I was disappointed when AO got rid of the rebound ace. I liked rebound ace especially when it was really slow, very good contrast back then.

And a Carpet Slam would bring back some of the 90's style of play with the whole chip-and-charge and serve-and-volley thing going on.

I mean, if there's going to be any carpet tournaments played on the ATP tour, why not make a season out of it, or at the very least cap it off with a Master's Event (like Paris used to be).

Starting the year off with a Carpet season would be hilarious, just to see players adjust from the speed of the Carpet, then to the slow Clay, and then to Grass, and then to Hardcourts.

Definitely more entertaining!

[THERAFA]

Yeah we should start carpet season next year I hope I can organise it in time.

[JW10S]

IW has the highest fan attendance outside the 4 Slams. Miami, due to the fact that the Williams sisters do not play IW, has what some feel is the strongest field outside the Slams. 6 of 1, 1/2 a dozen of the other...

Re: carpet--carpet is hardly used on the tours at all anymore. It's obsolete.

[THERAFA]

It won't be obsolete if New Zealand and Australia play all their post-Christmas events on it. Is carpet expensive?

[Fee]

Originally Posted by JediMindTrick

Indian Wells is the 5th grand slam. Miami is a wannabe.

Never has been, never will be.

My apologies if this answer has been given, I did not have time to read the entire thread... Miami is referred to as the '5th Slam' because years ago it was almost as large as a slam, it even had a mixed doubles draw. IW was a one week women's event followed by a one week men's event at the Hyatt Resort until about 10 years ago when the IW Tennis Garden was built. Miami was a mixed event years before that, back in the day when it was called The Lipton Championships. Miami used the 5th Slam nickname for years before IW tried to steal it.

[vive le beau jeu !]

Originally Posted by gj011

There are only 4 slams. And it should stay that way. End of story.

no 5th slam, but appart from the slams the most prestigious tournaments is without any doubt the (year-end) masters.

[stormholloway]

Miami is a completely obnoxious tournament in my view. Lot of hecklers.

[shadows]

heh British press were quick to note that Miami has at times been called the 5th slam while reporting Murrays win in the morning papers xD

I care nothing for the idea of a 5th slam really, more interested in a grass masters

[cucio]

Ion Tiriac seems determined to make the new Madrid clay tournament a huge event. There was talk of offering even higher prize money than a GS. O_o

This has some of a "nouveau riche" smell to it, but you never know, perhaps some years down the road it becomes a legitimate classic in its own right.

Right now it is a 11-day tournament, both men and women, with a total prize money of 6.5 million euros, same as IW and Miami. Just to compare RG awards 15.5 M€, so there's a long long way.

[Fedexeon]

I think Indian Well sold more tickets than Miami. They sold like around 330k of tickets while Miami sold 290k of tickets. But Miami generates more revenues from sponsors and also TV (the finals are in CBS while Indian Well's finals are in the GREAT FSN!) What i think is that both tournaments are great tournaments. Its nice to have some competition between these 2 tournaments so that the organizers would always try to improve the tournament.

The only bad things bout these 2 tournaments are they have FSN showing their matches which sucks.

[Chuck772]

Originally Posted by cucio

Ion Tiriac seems determined to make the new Madrid clay tournament a huge event. There was talk of offering even higher prize money than a GS. O_o

This has some of a "nouveau riche" smell to it, but you never know, perhaps some years down the road it becomes a legitimate classic in its own right.

Right now it is a 11-day tournament, both men and women, with a total prize money of 6.5 million euros, same as IW and Miami. Just to compare RG awards 15.5 M€, so there's a long long way.

There are lots of great Spanish players these days. i could see a tournament organized by whoever is the spanish tennis federation, spanish open, open de Espana, or something like that becoming very popular and prestigous.

[Chuck772]

Originally Posted by Fedexeon

I think Indian Well sold more tickets than Miami. They sold like around 330k of tickets while Miami sold 290k of tickets. But Miami generates more revenues from sponsors and also TV (the finals are in CBS while Indian Well's finals are in the GREAT FSN!) What i think is that both tournaments are great tournaments. Its nice to have some competition between these 2 tournaments so that the organizers would always try to improve the tournament.

The only bad things bout these 2 tournaments are they have FSN showing their matches which sucks.

i've always had an idea to combine Indian wells and miami into a giant tournament taking up most of march. combining the fields, prize money etc. and using a rotation like is done at the rogers cup to host. 192 player singles draw, 128 doubles draw.

[Chuck772]

Originally Posted by Mungo73

that 5th slam thing is complete bull-**** there are 4 slams

monte carlo is the most prestigious masters

No way it could be a slam though, it should get more attention as a masters event anyways.

[Fee]

quality bump of a 3 yr old thread there, bro.

[darrinbaker00]

Butch Buchholz actually created the Miami tournament (now known as the Sony Open) to replace the Austrailian Open as a Grand Slam event. There was even a mixed doubles draw the first year, won by Martina Navratilova and Heinz Gunthardt.

[Netspirit]

The World Tour Finals are the 5th slam.

It is the most prestigious tournament after the big 4, followed by IW, followed by other Masters except optional Monte Carlo, followed by Olympics, followed by Monte Carlo, followed by 500s and 250s.

[MariaRafael]

Originally Posted by Nadal_Freak

I find that annoying that we have so many big hard court tournaments. There should be more big clay court tournaments. Balance out them at least. Maybe downgrade Miami to regular Masters format and upgrade Monte Carlo.

Unfortunately, it can't be done. The stadium is too small, and there's no way to extend it since Monte Carlo is climbing up the mountains and there's very little horizontal space. However, it is probably the only big tournament located in the club rather than stadium, and the place is beautiful.