How National Bank Open could be better from a fan perspective

Sobeys Stadium (Laslovarga, Wikimedia Commons)

The ATP Masters 1000 Series Tour is continuing in Toronto this week. I was in attendance this past weekend for fourth round action as a spectator. Unlike the Indian Wells event where I had complete media access and represented The Sporting Base as a journalist, I saw the National Bank Open from a different perspective this time around.

Inside the stadium, the upper deck seats were very good, and I was able to see the action very clearly. The games I was in attendance for were Alex Michelsen versus Learner Tien, in a battle of two rising Americans, and Casper Ruud of Norway versus Karen Khachanov of Russia, in a battle of two players who have gone deep into grand slams but have not won a major yet.

Where the National Bank Open could have got better were on the grounds outside the tennis stadium. In this area there are several concessions and a large monitor for viewers to have the opportunity to watch what is going on at the main stadium. This is where the fan experience is simply not adequate. It would be good to see Tennis Canada follow what Indian Wells institutes. This is a massive viewing area on the grounds where spectators can watch several matches that are taking place on multiple monitors simultaneously. The bottom line is people in Toronto have no idea what is taking place in women’s action in Montreal, and I doubt people in Montreal have no idea what is taking place in men’s action in Toronto.