Favorite/Best MS 1000s

[MargaretMcAleer]

For me it's Monte Carlo, then Rome.

If there is one place on earth I would like to go to watch a tennis match, it would be Monte Carlo. To be in the stands watching the tennis and still being able to take in the views of the sea - that's incredible. The history of the city itself, the movies that were made there, the event, the atmosphere. Having watched Muster, Bruegera, Kuerten, Borg, Vilas, Nadal play in that setting - it's my favorite by far.

Then there is Rome. The event used to be the Italian Open. I remember when I was very young; it was 1976. Andriano Panatta was playing Guillermo Vilas in the final. Vilas was a brute and on clay, only Borg could push him around. For years, he held the record for the longest winning streak on clay, until Rafa broke it a few years ago.

Here was Italy's son, playing in the final of their championship... and he won. The people chanted "Adriano, Adriano, Adriano" and it reverberated back and forth across the Foro Italico. They wouldn't stop. It sent chills up this little kid's spine. Even to this day, I remember that moment and how it felt.

I also remember in 2011, Nole had beaten Murray in a brutal 3 hour semifinal, and Rafa was waiting to meet him Sunday. There was little belief he'd have something left over for the final, and this was real clay, Rafa's turf. But Nole went out there and beat him 6-4, 6-4. Again, it is a moment I will never forget.

Obviously, I am a fan of clay. And if you don't like Rafa, these two venues may not have held much interest for you in the past decade. Still, there's a history about these tournaments - in tennis, and in my memories, that the other Masters events cannot touch.

I attended the Rome tournament in 2011.All credit to Novak after that brutal s/final and he went onto win the tournament.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, though the recent top player withdrawals from the latter has given its stock a bit of a hit.

 

[Riotbeard]

Monte Carlo for me.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I have to go with Rome! There is something about this one that seems to produce good classic tennis on both the women's and men's sides.

 

[Denis]

For me it's Monte Carlo, then Rome.

If there is one place on earth I would like to go to watch a tennis match, it would be Monte Carlo. To be in the stands watching the tennis and still being able to take in the views of the sea - that's incredible. The history of the city itself, the movies that were made there, the event, the atmosphere. Having watched Muster, Bruegera, Kuerten, Borg, Vilas, Nadal play in that setting - it's my favorite by far.

Then there is Rome. The event used to be the Italian Open. I remember when I was very young; it was 1976. Andriano Panatta was playing Guillermo Vilas in the final. Vilas was a brute, and on clay, only Borg could push him around. For years, he held the record for the longest winning streak on clay, until Rafa broke it a few years ago.

Here was Italy's son, playing in the final of their championship... and he won. The people chanted "Adriano, Adriano, Adriano" and it reverberated back and forth across the Foro Italico. They wouldn't stop. It sent chills up this little kid's spine. Even to this day, I remember that moment and how it felt.

I also remember in 2011, Nole had beaten Murray in a brutal 3 hour semifinal, and Rafa was waiting to meet him Sunday. There was little belief he'd have something left over for the final, and this was real clay, Rafa's turf. But Nole went out there and beat him 6-4, 6-4. Again, it is a moment I will never forget.

Obviously, I am a fan of clay. And if you don't like Rafa, these two venues may not have held much interest for you in the past decade. Still, there's a history about these tournaments - in tennis, and in my memories, that the other Masters events cannot touch.

Same here. MC and Rome are my favorites, a lot of history, amazing setting, and on clay (my favorite surface).

 

[Moxie]

^ Denis: when I saw you'd just posted, I thought you were going to say that Miami was your new favorite, given Novak today, and you won the Challenge. :laydownlaughing

Monte Carlo is just ahead of IW, currently, which is no surprise, but combined with Rome, it puts clay ones ahead by a lot. That does surprise me.

And no one has an answer as to why Monte Carlo is a 1000, but not required?

 

[Front242]

Easy, you don't necessarily have to be a Nadal fan to like clay

 

[Denis]

^ Denis: when I saw you'd just posted, I thought you were going to say that Miami was your new favorite, given Novak today, and you won the Challenge. :laydownlaughing

Monte Carlo is just ahead of IW, currently, which is no surprise, but combined with Rome, it puts clay ones ahead by a lot. That does surprise me.

And no one has an answer as to why Monte Carlo is a 1000, but not required?

I think it had something to do with the prize money. They aren't offering as much, but considering the elusiveness of the event, they still made it into a MS if I recall correctly.

 

[Moxie]

Easy, you don't necessarily have to be a Nadal fan to like clay

Yes, but given the amount of arguments that people make which try to take clay out of the equation, I thought some didn't…combined with the number of people who bemoan the loss of quicker surfaces. You don't have to convince me of the "romance and history" of tournaments like RG and Rome, of course, but I was just going by so many past conversations. I was surprised, is all, and noted that.

 

[Front242]

I love clay personally and the debate about slowed courts doesn't relate to clay, just grass and hard courts. Back in the day we had fast(er) hard courts and grass and clay was much the same as today apart from that monstrosity at Madrid. Only thing I find annoying about clay is it can be very hard to follow the ball on streams and sometimes even on tv, except for those once off lovely blue clay courts, which weren't too popular apart from for spectators and fans.

I like the WTA Charleston clay courts. Nice colour for viewing.

 

[Moxie]

I love clay personally and the debate about slowed courts doesn't relate to clay, just grass and hard courts. Back in the day we had fast(er) hard courts and grass and clay was much the same as today apart from that monstrosity at Madrid. Only thing I find annoying about clay is it can be very hard to follow the ball on streams and sometimes even on tv, except for those once off lovely blue clay courts, which weren't too popular apart from for spectators and fans.

I like the WTA Charleston clay courts. Nice colour for viewing.

Personally, I don't find red clay as hard for following the ball as on grass, but it seems that the ball is even hard for the players to follow on grass, due to tricky bounces. I liked the blue clay in Madrid for the aesthetics of it, and visibility, but it was slippery, I believe. They'll have to work on that. The grey court you mention in Charleston is good for contrast too, I see. The hardest one, IMO, is grass, and you can't change the color.

 

[tented]

And no one has an answer as to why Monte Carlo is a 1000, but not required?

Quick Google search found this:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-13/monte-carlo-should-be-mandatory-event-six-time-champion-rafael-nadal-says.html


Side note to Rafa detractors: Read the entire article, not just the first few paragraphs, and think, "Well, of course Rafa thinks it should be mandatory!"

 

[Moxie]

^ So the compromise against downgrading a prestigious tournament, played since 1897, was making it an non-mandatory. I get the politics, but I think it should be then upgraded to a mandatory.

(And thanks for that, btw, tented.)

 

[GameSetAndMath]

And no one has an answer as to why Monte Carlo is a 1000, but not required?

Well, when ATP was reorganizing the Masters tournaments, there was a lot
of controversy. Most notably Hamburg filed a law suit against ATP (alleging
monopoly etc etc) as they were unhappy with the demotion. The law suit
took more than an year and ATP was not so sure it will come out victor.

In the mean time, Monte Carlo told ATP that they will accept the
ATP's suggestion that MC not be mandatory as long as they leave
the 1000 points intact (they figured that players will anyway keep
coming due to points and the history of MC despite it not being
labelled mandatory). From ATP's side, they did not want another
long drawn law suit and they accepted MC's proposal.

Thus the weird event of non-mandatory ATP 1000 at MC was born.

 

[tennisville]

Easy, you don't necessarily have to be a Nadal fan to like clay

Yes, but given the amount of arguments that people make which try to take clay out of the equation, I thought some didn't…combined with the number of people who bemoan the loss of quicker surfaces. You don't have to convince me of the "romance and history" of tournaments like RG and Rome, of course, but I was just going by so many past conversations. I was surprised, is all, and noted that.

Lot of people love clay . I am a Fed fan and clay tennis is my favorite tennis to see followed by indoor tennis. People who bemoan the slow courts are for grass and hards.Actually ATP has sped up Rome and I actually want the clay to play like Monte Carlo everywhere.

 

[I.Haychew]

1) Cincinnati...Because, being that it's within "driving distance" (southern Indiana), I can go.
2) Paris...Because it seems to be somewhat of an aphterthought phor the big guns, the 2nd tier guys at least have a shot at winning. And...Soderling won it, which, as a Soderling phan, makes it special phor me.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Moxie, you already know my answer.

Indian Wells in my opinion is the best and most prestigious Masters 1000. If you actually go there, you will see why a lot of players and fans love Indian Wells. It has a relaxing atmosphere but the fans can be knowledgeable. In addition, it contains huge facilities and beautiful places. That's why Nadal loves it there because he could play golf as long as he wants to. The weather could be hot because it is in the dessert but it is not extremely hot like the AO and it is not humid like Miami and Cincy. It is like the perfect place to go outside and hit tennis balls for a few hours.