Tips for Attending a Grand Slam Tennis Tournament

Grand Slams are enjoyable even for people unfamiliar with tennis. While the final rounds have the best players, tennis tournaments are most fun during the early rounds, when the grounds teem with excitement and everyone’s looking around for an upset. If you’re planning on attending one this year, be sure to follow these tips.

Know the Etiquette

Tennis is more like watching golf than baseball. Umpires will tell you to silence your phones while talking loudly and standing is frowned upon while the ball is in play. Even small children have been ejected from the seats if they can’t be controlled.

Pack Your Bag

The early rounds are more like a festival than a sporting event. Bring a daypack filled with water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Most large tournaments won’t allow food inside nor large bags so check ahead of time if you don’t want overpriced stadium food. Smaller courts have bleachers so bring a sitting pad or towel if you find them uncomfortable.

Dress for the Heat

The day typically starts at high noon with little shade. Wear light clothes and maybe pack a change of shirt if you sweat a lot. Umbrellas are also acceptable, but don’t block anyone’s view of the court.

Learn the Schedule

Early rounds are great for two things: low-seed matchups and high-seed upsets. Keep an eye on the bracket to catch a good pairing and don’t worry if you don’t get a chance to see the superstars. Worst comes to worst, you can see them warming up on one of the practice courts, which often gets you closer to the action than a real match.