Rod Laver Arena, Stade Roland Garros, Wimbledon Centre Court, Arthur Ashe Stadium

[Kirijax]

Of the four Gran Slam tournament Arena-Stadium-Centre Courts, which are the most impressive? Some of us have been lucky enough to go to some of them, maybe even all four. Which one was the most beautiful? Which one had the best outside view and inside view? It would be interestint to hear from those of you who have visited the Meccas of the tennis world

Rod Laver Arena
Built: 1988
Capacity: 14, 820
Court: Plexicushion

Stade Roland Garros
Built: 1928
Capacity: 14.840
Court: Clay

Wimbledon Centre Court
Built: 1922
Capacity: 15,000
Court: Grass

Arthur Ashe Stadium
Built: 1997
Capacity: 22, 547
Court: DecoTurf

If you had to choose one court out of the four, which would you take?

 

[Kieran]

I think they're all beauties, but Wimbledon would get my vote. The blend of tradition and colour, the grass and the silence, Wimbledon is like tennis preserved in formaldehyde, and it creates an atmosphere that's akin to watching tennis in a cathedral.

I like the atmosphere at the Arthur Ashe Court too - and the others, but my vote goes green...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rod Laver Arena is the best arena by far viewing wise,even if you are right up the top,the players dont appear 'like ants'.

Roland Garos gets my vote.Paris has to be on of the greatest cities in the world,also I love the pomp and ceremony of Roland Garos,also it is the only slam where they play the winner's national anthem.
Philip Chatrier is an enormous centre court and I love the back drop of red clay on a summer's day in Paris.

My least favorite slam has to be the USO,viewing wise,unless you can get good seats at Arthur Ashe stadium forget about it.I have often referred to it as the 'Rock and Roll' slam over the years.

 

[Kieran]

My least favorite slam has to be the USO,viewing wise,unless you can get good seats at Arthur Ashe stadium forget about it.I have often referred to it as the 'Rock and Roll' slam over the years.

Beg to differ! I've been in Row X in Arthur Ashe watching Federer-Djokovic in 2007 and I could have argued the toss with a linesman. The view is excellent. Seriously. It looks all fish-eye on television, but in the stadium, it was perfect...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ Hmm I still love NYC,the shopping is amazing.....

 

[Riotbeard]

My personal favorite is Roland Garros, although my hands down favorite center court is Monte Carlo. I love the big clay events, aesthetically.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

My personal favorite is Roland Garros, although my hands down favorite center court is Monte Carlo. I love the big clay events, aesthetically.

Monte Carlo has to be the most beautiful place on the earth to watch tennis.....

It should be on everyone's Bucket List of tennis tournaments to go to,even if your not a fan of clay tennis,the setting is just Amazing!!!!!!!

 

[Riotbeard]

My personal favorite is Roland Garros, although my hands down favorite center court is Monte Carlo. I love the big clay events, aesthetically.

Monte Carlo has to be the most beautiful place on the earth to watch tennis.....

It should be on everyone's Bucket List of tennis tournaments to go to,even if your not a fan of clay tennis,the setting is just Amazing!!!!!!!

It's my first choice tournament of any to attend. Mind you I haven't to a tennis tournament in the country I live in sometime so...

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

In my opinion it's the Wimbledon Centre Court tied with Roland Garros.

The oldest are the best.

 

[Kirijax]

First of all I want to say that it is my goal in life to achieve my own personal Grand Slam someday. That is to visit every Grand Slam tournament at least once.

The one I want to go to the most is the Australian Open. The arena and court is beautiful, the fans seem great and just the whole atmosphere seems the best of the four.

Second would be Wimbledon. It's a bit too stuffy for my taste and I don't like grass tennis that much. But no career of a tennis fan would be complete without visiting the oldest tournament in tennis.

Third would be the French Open. The place looks old and cramped but I love the red clay. The fans seem to be the worst of the four so I don't know if I would enjoy it though. And France is not high on my list of countries I want to visit.

The U.S. Open would be last. That stadium is gawd-awful ugly, it's too big and noisy, the scheduling is poorly done every year and it seems like you would have to be lucky to get a seat to see any tennis.

So the Australian Open for me!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well the Happy Slam or Friendly Slam as it is known,is a slam not only the fans,overseas fans also love,the players love the Aussie laid back attitude,our beaches,shopping especially from the women players,also our great array of restuarants,I know for a fact Rafa visits a seafood restuarant at St.Kilda a beach side suburb of Melbourne.I have been to the Happy Slam many times over the years,witnessed some great matches,especially in 2009 when Rafa became the first Spanish player to win the Australian Open.

 

[Kirijax]

I have to say the AO, Fo and Wimby all have their charms. They are beautiful in their own way. The US has zero charm and there is nothing beautiful about that tournament. As an American, sad to say but true.

 

[Kieran]

The USO is the only slam I've been at, so I can't gauge the others but I had the best time ever, the three occasions I visited. If the USO has "nothing beautiful" about it, then the others must be celestial. I thought it was a blast and crowd were magnificent...

 

[Riotbeard]

The USO is the only slam I've been at, so I can't gauge the others but I had the best time ever, the three occasions I visited. If the USO has "nothing beautiful" about it, then the others must be celestial. I thought it was a blast and crowd were magnificent...

I think USO maybe isn't charming, but I am not sure that the appeal of New York or even what the American slam should be like. Wimby and FO have charm and tradition coming outta their butts. The USO should be a bit larger than life, IMO. So not necessarily "charming" but offering something interesting and different from the other slams.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I always refer to the USO as 'The Rock and Roll Slam'

It has it's own unique appeal,the crowds are always chatting and or screaming....

They like to be involved in every point,to me they are the most 'vocal' at a Grand Slam event

Wimbledon 'the home of tennis' is a much more refined tennis crowd,I mean who sips Pims all day...

The French crowd can be utterly down right and rude sometimes,also if I have to sit through another Mexican Wave I will throw one of my shoes at them.......I guess in some ways I can understand the French crowd and their behavior they have been wanting a French Champion for many years,it has been a long time between drinks since Yannick Noah won there.

Aussie Open Fans really appreciate good tennis,I am not saying the other's dont either,they at times will root for the underdog,remember too being so far away they dont get the chance to watch the top players at other events during the year,like say Europeans and Americans do.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

ao had record attendance this year too..over 700'000 visited the tourney.

but being an English git, I went with Wimbledon, for a start it was the first tv tennis I saw being on bbc tv all the time, for another start either borg or McEnroe always seemed to be winning ,when I was small, and also its on old school green grass like in the old days before hardcourts stole 2 other grass majors...

..and Wimbledon has been going since 1877..and its so cool its just called "The Championships".

 

[britbox]

Wimbledon, Rod Laver, Roland Garros, Arthur Ashe.