Have you ever been to a Major
- Thread starter Shahar26
- Start date
Supernatural_Serve
Professional
You should have went and saw qualifiers during the prior week. The tennis is excellent, not a lot of people, and the players are playing their hearts out, plus opportunities to watch the top guys practicing too.
Not a bad way to spend half a day in New York.
Lindros13
Semi-Pro
Visited the US Open during the opening week this past year - it was incredible. The early rounds have so much action on all of the courts, including some top ranked players (since they can't all play in the three large stadiums at the same time). We were there one day and we saw Nalbandian, Henman, Vaidisova, Tursanov, Moya, Safina, etc. Granted, they may have been playing against unseeded players, but you'll still find several good fought matches and UP-CLOSE like I've never seen before. You can stand right behind the lines person, and nearly touch the players when they run down balls in the corners.. Unreal. Can't wait to go again year-after-year.
True. But I don't think you're supposed to touch them during a match, are you?
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I only need the UO to complete 'my slam'
I just need the AO, the FO, and Wimbledon to complete mine.
The Grand Slam
Hall of Fame
Only one - Aussie Open. I live about an hour away from it. 
luke_1983uk
Semi-Pro
wimbledon for the last 3 years running, 3-4 days each year!
just got my wimbledon tickets for this year middle saturday centre court!
what a day that will be!
looking forward to it already
just got my wimbledon tickets for this year middle saturday centre court!
what a day that will be!
looking forward to it already
I only need the UO to complete 'my slam'
Hey Orange are the Aussie Open tickets hard to get? I plan to make it to Down Under sometime...
They're not too bad. If you find out the day of internet release, you'd be in with a good shot of getting *something*, finals/semis may be (pretty much are) a different matter, and they go on sale (from memory) about two weeks prior in special 'series' offers (all 14 days, final 10 nights, final 4 days, etc etc). There were still very limited numbers of early-round centre court tickets available a week before this year (I almost made the last-minute decision to go!).
Ground passes are always available, and half of the seats for Vodafone arena (court 2) are open to Ground Pass holders.
Maybe some of the melbourne-ites can add to this?
Ok thanks. If i go I would probably go in the first week and at least walk around the grounds. Well I hope you will get to the US Open. It's crazy here but fun. I have been going at least 2 or 3 times each year and also live in Ct so it's close to the Pilot Pen so there's a lot of tennis at that time of the year.
Only one - Aussie Open. I live about an hour away from it.
Let's start a new thread: who lives closest to a major!
Are you guys allowed to play on the courts when the tournament's not in session like we are here in New York at the USO? It's pretty cool to be watching a Davydenko or Haas match on show court 7 one week, and be playing ont that same court yourself two weeks later. (Ashe, Armstrong, and Grandstand courts are not available to the general public though.)
Frodo Baggins
Semi-Pro
One Question>Where do you Get the money to go to all these tournys???
Shahar26
Rookie
One Question>Where do you Get the money to go to all these tournys???
If you in the first week, tickets to the US open can be around 50-70, if you can't spend that once a year on something you obviously like, you're doing something wrong.....
Frodo Baggins
Semi-Pro
Wish I could Go to All these Different Tournys like Some people But Alas I can't>Don't have the money$$..I'm just lucky to be going to the Montreal one(Rogers).. Thats the only Tourny I'll be going to..
So I gotta make it last!!!
But Alas I can't>Don't have the money$$..I'm just lucky to be going to the Montreal one(Rogers).. Thats the only Tourny I'll be going to.. So I gotta make it last!!!
Dedans Penthouse
Legend
Wimbledon, US Open & French Open.
Wimbledon, the "ivy" and the "grass" was the coolest experience (just the 'buzz' alone taking the train from downtown London to Wimbledon was worth it: "Southfield...all 'ALIGHT' for Wimbledon tennis~!"). And the French Open with those 'righteous' bright orange 'red clay' courts is sweet as well. And even though the US Open can be a nuthouse at times, it has its own unique Broadway type of "buzz" especially during a NIGHT TIME match with two "name players" that is very 'vibe-intensive.'
I'd love to go to the Aussie Open, 'fan-friendly' tourney, great people, etc., .... except for those narly 'funnel-web' >o< spiders. :shock:
Wimbledon, the "ivy" and the "grass" was the coolest experience (just the 'buzz' alone taking the train from downtown London to Wimbledon was worth it: "Southfield...all 'ALIGHT' for Wimbledon tennis~!"). And the French Open with those 'righteous' bright orange 'red clay' courts is sweet as well. And even though the US Open can be a nuthouse at times, it has its own unique Broadway type of "buzz" especially during a NIGHT TIME match with two "name players" that is very 'vibe-intensive.'
I'd love to go to the Aussie Open, 'fan-friendly' tourney, great people, etc., .... except for those narly 'funnel-web' >o< spiders. :shock:
I've only seen them on TV, but those are indeed some funky ORANGE courts they have there in Paris. Most of the red clay courts I see around our parts are more reddish, but those ones in Riverside Park do have more of a Roland Garros shade to them...
Dedans Penthouse
Legend
heycal, this past summer (for most of August) I had the pleasure of playing at the Bagni di Lucca club in Tuscany, Italy and the courts there were that "bright orange" that you see at Roland Garros, at Foro Italico, that is, throughout Europe. I see what you mean by Riverside's courts (96th St., Manhattan) being more "Euro-colored" than the purple-ish 'red-clay' normally found in the U.S., but it's still a different shade altogether.
Think of one of those large "orange-y" clay pots that they put plants in. When the "alpen glow" of the late afternoon sun hits those 'orange' courts, they look like they're blazing--they present a really beautiful contrast to the ball; a real joy to play on. Even when it's dusk and the sky darkens, those courts look like they're internally lit up.
Off-topic ramble advisory (the rest of you skip the rest of this rambling post): aside from these Tuscan courts themselves, what was really enjoyable was also watching the local Italian "Excitable Boys" go into meltdown mode during their 'local tournament' matches. Great guys; but some real nutjobs (some of them). A few of these local "hot shots" would make John McEnroe look like Stan Smith. While there in Tuscany, this club hosted a "local" USTA type tourney with matches scheduled late in the afternoon over the course of a couple of weekday days (Mon-Thurs). The vast majority of these guys were no more than 4.5-5.0's to begin with, but no matter--they would really put on a show with some of the most animated and entertaining tantrums (both vocal and otherwise) you'd ever want to witness. I remember this one guy in particular (God bless you where ever you may be at this moment---and "BRAVO!" once again, btw!):
this guy is playing a tight match 5-all in the 3rd set when he totally chokes by stupidly "bailing out" and attempting a drop shot on break point AGAINST HIM. Well, as it turned out, he had Roberto Duran's "hands of stone" and he 'bricked' the drop shot by barely reaching the bottom of the net with his "attempt." Well, then what?.....Well, THAT DID IT!!!...........our hero totally short-circuits, starts screaming in a stream of profane Italian,
and now the good part:
then proceeds to whirl and spin like a discus thrower.....he then FLINGS his Babolat racquet with all his might.....make that, he "helicopters" his racquet with all his might the length of the court and sends it crashing and breaking-- CLANG! SNAP!-- a good 20 to 25 feet up off a light tower pole located on the OPPOSITE corner of the court from whence he had thrown it. Former high school javeline record holder and NFL great Terry Bradshaw would've been proud of this paisan~! One of the great meltdowns and racquet throws I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing. A truly great throw---crunch! Great people. Great theater. And, great 'orange' courts.
The club's head Pro, Ivano Pierri, has a 7-yr. old daughter (she's a kid: no names please), whom I wouldn't be suprised to see playing Roland Garros 10 years from now--what a little star!
Think of one of those large "orange-y" clay pots that they put plants in. When the "alpen glow" of the late afternoon sun hits those 'orange' courts, they look like they're blazing--they present a really beautiful contrast to the ball; a real joy to play on. Even when it's dusk and the sky darkens, those courts look like they're internally lit up.
Off-topic ramble advisory (the rest of you skip the rest of this rambling post): aside from these Tuscan courts themselves, what was really enjoyable was also watching the local Italian "Excitable Boys" go into meltdown mode during their 'local tournament' matches. Great guys; but some real nutjobs (some of them). A few of these local "hot shots" would make John McEnroe look like Stan Smith. While there in Tuscany, this club hosted a "local" USTA type tourney with matches scheduled late in the afternoon over the course of a couple of weekday days (Mon-Thurs). The vast majority of these guys were no more than 4.5-5.0's to begin with, but no matter--they would really put on a show with some of the most animated and entertaining tantrums (both vocal and otherwise) you'd ever want to witness. I remember this one guy in particular (God bless you where ever you may be at this moment---and "BRAVO!" once again, btw!):
this guy is playing a tight match 5-all in the 3rd set when he totally chokes by stupidly "bailing out" and attempting a drop shot on break point AGAINST HIM. Well, as it turned out, he had Roberto Duran's "hands of stone" and he 'bricked' the drop shot by barely reaching the bottom of the net with his "attempt." Well, then what?.....Well, THAT DID IT!!!...........our hero totally short-circuits, starts screaming in a stream of profane Italian,
and now the good part:
then proceeds to whirl and spin like a discus thrower.....he then FLINGS his Babolat racquet with all his might.....make that, he "helicopters" his racquet with all his might the length of the court and sends it crashing and breaking-- CLANG! SNAP!-- a good 20 to 25 feet up off a light tower pole located on the OPPOSITE corner of the court from whence he had thrown it. Former high school javeline record holder and NFL great Terry Bradshaw would've been proud of this paisan~! One of the great meltdowns and racquet throws I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing. A truly great throw---crunch! Great people. Great theater. And, great 'orange' courts.
The club's head Pro, Ivano Pierri, has a 7-yr. old daughter (she's a kid: no names please), whom I wouldn't be suprised to see playing Roland Garros 10 years from now--what a little star!
Excellent tale, Dedans, from the description of the clay pot color of the courts to the Italianiate meltdowns. I can picture both these things vividly. The cameo by Terry Bradshaw was a swell touch as well.
Should you be interested in such theatrics closer to home, I suggest you witness me and my old friend from grade school play at Stadium Racquet in the Bronx some night, or here in Westchester. We are almost always the worst players on the court, and always the most passionate, two hot-headed lefties with serious impulse control issues. My friend has been known to throw his racket in a rage, go get it, throw it again, go get and throw it again as he stalks around the bubble cursing at the top of his lungs.
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