The last couple of weeks on the calendar has again highlighted a couple of things. Firstly, tennis in South America gets more popular with fans every year. Secondly though, the big names in the sport, still prefer to travel to the middle east, to play on the hard courts in preparation for Indian Wells and Miami.
However, there is a contrast in more than just the calibre of field when comparing South American events to events played out in the Middle East. In Doha, 8 of the top 15 players took part last week…but there’s a problem. The stands are regularly empty for sessions early in the week, the applause is polite but sparse, and the atmosphere often seems more like a practice session than an ATP 500 event. It’s not just the Middle East though. We also see this regularly during the Asian swing. Now, shoot across the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro (or Buenos Aires the previous week).
The field isn’t as stacked—Alexander Zverev was the only player in the top 15—but the stadium is! The crowd is loud, and knowledgeable, which in turn, makes every point feel like it carries extra weight.
Which one is the better tournament to watch on TV, or attend in person?
This isn’t just a hypothetical question. We lived through this contrast during the Covid era, when tournaments were played in front of empty arenas or limited-capacity crowds. Even with the best players in the world competing, something was lacking.
The tension, the energy, the electricity—it all felt flat. Very flat. Tennis, like all sports, thrives on emotion, and without a crowd to feed off, the matches often lacked that extra spark.
The Case for a Star-Studded Event Without Much Atmosphere
On paper, an event with the sport’s biggest names should be a drawcard for fans. The quality of tennis is likely to be elite, and from a prestige standpoint, these tournaments carry weight – winning a title when the best are in attendance, may not get you more ATP points, but it might get you more credit.
They also have massive broadcast appeal—the top players bring in more eyeballs, which in turn, would help to appease sponsors.
But without atmosphere, even a match between the greatest, can feel uninspiring. We saw this first-hand during Covid. Grand Slam finals were played in eerie silence, with only the sounds of grunts and squeaky shoes echoing through empty stadiums.
Yes, there were still exhilarating matches, and the quality of tennis didn’t seem overly compromised, yet how many matches stand out during that time? Tennis without energy feels incomplete, and when the crowd isn’t engaged, as the Australian Open motto suggests, ‘tennis hits different’….but this time, not in a good way.
That said, these tournaments still appeal to the purists. If you love tennis for its tactics, shot-making, and raw competition, then a loaded draw will always matter more than the noise in the stands. In terms of history and legacy, these events may hold more significance. But for the casual viewer? It’s hard to get invested when the environment feels lifeless.
The Case for a Weaker Field With an Electric Atmosphere
Now, let’s flip the script. Picture a tournament where some of the top names are missing, but the crowd is fully engaged. Every winner is followed by a roar, every long rally builds anticipation, and the energy is contagious. The players, feeding off the atmosphere, often rise to the occasion. The level of tennis might not be as high as a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam (although the difference is usually minimal), but it feels like it is….and sometimes, perception is reality.
Tournaments like Buenos Aires, Rio, Acapulco, and even Queen’s, exemplify this. The fields may not always be the strongest, but the passion in the stands makes them must-watch events. Some of the most thrilling matches in recent years haven’t necessarily been Grand Slam finals, but rather night matches in front of raucous, invested crowds that turn the event into a spectacle.
Of course, the downside is that without top-tier talent, the matchups may not have the same historical significance. For casual fans who only follow the sport’s biggest names, a weaker draw might not be enough to hold their interest. But if the energy in the stands is there, the matches often deliver drama that outweighs rankings and reputations.
What Matters More?
So, the question is, what makes a tournament truly great? If you’re a tennis purist, you might argue that nothing beats a high-level contest between two top players, no matter the setting. But if Covid taught us anything, it’s that tennis without a crowd feels incomplete. Atmosphere is what turns a match into an event. A stadium that erupts after every point, where fans chant, and create an energy that players feed off, in either a positive or negative way….that’s when tennis is at its absolute best.
The perfect scenario, of course, is having both: elite players battling it out in front of an electric crowd, but not every event can be so lucky. If forced to choose? Give me the atmosphere every day. Although we love to see the very best play great tennis, it’s the big moments that make the sport unforgettable….and those moments don’t often happen in silence.
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