126. THE SLAMS – 2025 – Reality Tennis

It’s been a few years since I attended the Grand Slams but this year I have been to all four of them – this time with a pro player as opposed to a junior. It’s been fun and a real privilege and I have thoroughly enjoyed being at each and every one. Have these events changed since I was last there? Well here are a few observations:

• The Australian Open continues to be an outstanding event. The site, the people and the whole experience is first class. The organisers cannot do enough to make your visit enjoyable. The food is incredible and the facilities are of an extremely high quality. There are endless things to do and see and the people are extremely welcoming. The site is vast, which makes it easy to walk around, and the player areas and services are incredibly well organised, down to the smallest details. Player transport is luxurious and plentiful and all of the AO staff are friendly and genuinely love being part of this annual spectacle. The only downside is perhaps the distance from home but bearing in mind it is the summer time in Australia in January, being in the southern hemisphere at the start of the year more than makes up for the travel time to get there!
• The French Open (Roland Garros) apologetically remains my least favourite Slam (personal opinion) but it is the easiest to get to (excluding Wimbledon). We drove there this year and it was pretty straightforward. We found a hotel with a garage and just left the car there and used the tournament transport to get to and from the site. Others took the train or flew – all pretty straightforward. It is a lovely event, staged on a very small site, a huge contrast in scale to the AO – but my reasons for placing it fourth on the ‘list’ include the unpredictable weather (it always seems to be cold and damp – perhaps I have just been unlucky); the smell of smoke around the grounds (the French do appear to like a cigarette); and the fact that the practice courts are quite some distance from the site and to get there you have to travel through some questionable neighbourhoods. However, let us not forget, the majority of those involved with this Slam are having to communicate in a second language and this is not to be underestimated!
• Wimbledon – this one is always a pleasure and each year it just gets better and better. Of course the weather can be an issue, but Wimbledon wouldn’t be Wimbledon without some rain, but the whole experience is high class from start to finish. It an elegant Slam with so many British characteristics on display – orderly queues, smartly dressed spectators, the Royal Box, the chink of cutlery and the popping of champagne corks all make for a truly wonderful experience. Like AO, the ease of travel (for the players) to and from the site, and through the grounds themselves, is top notch. Even the underground tunnels are decorated with tennis themed murals or quality artwork. It is difficult to find any fault at all.
• The US Open – the true American Slam. Loud, brash but fun and of course, commercial. The facilities are of a high quality and the players are well looked after. However, the site is located a long way from the hotels in Manhattan and not only is the cost of accommodation extremely high, the travel to site can be a cause of stress. Cars and buses are of course provided but the road system struggles to cope, especially at the start of the event. Players need to allow at least an hour to get there – much more sometimes. Another issue is the strong smell of Marijuana that almost hangs over the site. Probably pleasant for the user but for elite athletes it can be unpleasant. The noise at this Slam is off the scale – a total contrast to Wimbledon – and likewise the late night matches take a bit of getting used to. But the US Open is unique; it is almost a spectator event first and a tennis tournament second.

If you are a tennis fan then a visit to the Slams is a must. Try them all and see what you think. The opinions expressed here are purely my own!