The ATP World Tour Finals takes place in London at the O2 Arena in November. It is the final event of the year and the top 8 singles players and doubles teams are invited to this round robin style tournament. This tournament lasts 1 week, with 2 singles and 2 doubles matches daily. Each day there is a day and night session, until the day of the finals, which is on a Monday eventing.
Any tennis player or fan needs to experience this event at least one time. So, if you make a trip to London, even one day at this tournament is well worth it.
**Best Atmosphere**
As soon as I walked into the arena, I thought to myself, "this is the coolest thing I have ever seen." The best part was that I hadn't even gotten inside the arena yet.
Outside the venue is an indoor Entertainment Avenue that contains approximately 30 restaurants and bars, a movie theater, merchandise shops, and the Fan Zone. This is open from 9am to 1am daily and is a great place to explore before, after, and in between matches.
Once I made it to my first match, I was even more impressed. The lighting, sound effects, crowd, and intensity of the match are all incredible here. The players enter though a tunnel of smoke, the blue court and individual players are the only things lit up, and each ace, break point, set point, and match point are made well known with sound effects that add drama and put pressure on the players.
The staff here is great too. All of the queues run so smoothly and they do a great job of direction the crowds and making things the least chaotic that they can be. Even going to the tube took a little while, but was so well planned and easy for all of the spectators to get to.
**Practice Courts**
The practice courts here are located in the Entertainment Walk at the O2. This means that they are free and accessible by anyone who wants to come, whether you have a ticket to the event or not. The 3 courts are located in tents and protected all around, making them a little hard to access, and one has standing room only on one viewable side. Practice schedules are also posted, but there are very few seats available and there is usually a long queue to get in to the 2 courts with seating.
**Ticket Prices**
From 45 pounds and up for each session (2 sessions per day), this tournament is definitely on the more expensive side in comparison to other tournaments I have attended. When matches are sold out and purchasing from ViaGoGo, expect to pay at least 130 pounds per session. I attribute this to the fact that every match you see is going to be close and at an exceptional level, the too 8 players in the world are there, the venue had so much to offer off the court, and the location being in London.
**Transportation Options**
This venue is extremely accessible - the North Greenwich tube and bus station are about 100 yards away. Some fans also take the Emirates Air line (cable cars across the river from the the Royal Docks) or the river boats. I opted for the train every time since there are several stations close to my hotel and it never took me more than 30 minutes to get there. Things were quite a bit crowded going to the Tube when the matches ended, but I found it to be really efficient and well managed. Only a few people started to act crazy and push or try to run ahead. Taxis are also lined up right outside at all times if that is more your style or you want to avoid the crowded trains.
**Fan Zone**
**Match and Player Pictures**
The fans here LOVE Roger Federer too, a bonus for me. At this point in his career, it is so amazing to see people rooting for him and encouraging him during every single match. You can tell he is soaking up the atmosphere, the intensity of the matches, and that he loves being on the court, competing in front of his fans.
**Bryan Brothers accepting the Fan Favorite Award**
**FINALS DAY**
How cool is that!! Your photos are great!
ReplyDeleteMaribeth @ HealthFit, Sarasota, FL