Wawrinka/Isner court

[tacou]

I've thought about this for a couple years now and decided to thread it.

Has anyone been to the court (I'm not sure the name of it) at Bercy where Isner and Wawrinka are playing right now? It seems so strange. Very small room with 200 or so spectators, so intimate they have to put nets down to protect the audience. Seems strange but a real cool layout.

Thoughts on such a small court at an event like Paris Masters?

 

[RetroSpin]

I've thought about this for a couple years now and decided to thread it.

Has anyone been to the court (I'm not sure the name of it) at Bercy where Isner and Wawrinka are playing right now? It seems so strange. Very small room with 200 or so spectators, so intimate they have to put nets down to protect the audience. Seems strange but a real cool layout.

Thoughts on such a small court at an event like Paris Masters?

I noticed it. It was like they were playing in a high school gym. Probably pretty cool spectator experience though.

 

[michielD]

I was there yesterday, it's in an ice skating ring with a couple hundred seats around the court in the basement of the complex... Fun atmosphere because you're very close to the court

 

[christos_liaskos]

Yeh I was there in 08, saw Murray take out Dasco on that court. Saw Ljubicic on there too and possibly Ferrer. And yes it's very intimate. I sat on the front row for all those matches and as Murray came over to get his towel I could easily have whispered something like 'come on Andy do it for England' and got a punch in the face .

The ceiling is very low too, not really a court where you can hoist up a defensive lob to scrape back into the rally.

It's weird how you get to the court too. We actually had to be led out of the main stadium, into the rain, and into a temporary tunnel which led us from what was essentialy an exit door out of the whole stadium and then back through another door which was almost in the basement. I was almost worried that we weren't going to be allowed back into the main stadium - infact I think they stamped our hands so we could get back in again.

Have to say I didn't know it was an ice rink which was turned into a tennis court for the tournament as previous poster mentions.

The thing that I'd like to know though was where was court2??? I have a feeling that not only are there no cameras on there but no spectators either! So as strange as court1 seems for a masters1000, court2 would be strange to have at any level tournament. Essentially just seems like a room that the players a locked in on their own to play their match before they're let out again. Very weird

 

[michielD]

Court 2 was just across from court 1 and there were around 100 seats maybe even less... It was only used for doubles and some warming-up sessions when I was there yesterday and the day before that.

This year court 1 and 2 were accessible via a staircase from the entrance of the main court

 

[NJ1]

Court 2 was just across from court 1 and there were around 100 seats maybe even less... It was only used for doubles and some warming-up sessions when I was there yesterday and the day before that.

This year court 1 and 2 were accessible via a staircase from the entrance of the main court

Thanks for the first hand input. It is atypical for sure but good that it's spectator-friendly.

 

[christos_liaskos]

Court 2 was just across from court 1 and there were around 100 seats maybe even less... It was only used for doubles and some warming-up sessions when I was there yesterday and the day before that.

This year court 1 and 2 were accessible via a staircase from the entrance of the main court

I thought it must have been down there somewhere. From memory (this is 3 years ago!) I just seemed to think that everyone was directed into court1 though and we weren't allowed on any other court. We went on the Wednesday and Thursday so that court might not have been in use much by that stage...having said that there is a doubles match on court2 right now so seems like they use it on the Wednesday...don't know why we didn't get to go on there

 

[cknobman]

Hands down the absolute best camera angles and views of anywhere on tour.

As far as watching from tv I wish all courts were like this one!!!

 

[tacou]

wow thanks guys..never thought I'd say this but one of my tennis destinations is now Court 1 at Bercy