http://www.brisbaneinternational.com.au
My initial impression:
Brisbane is an ATP and WTA combined event and spans 1 week. It is part of the Australian Open Series and takes place at the Queensland Tennis Center.
I think it being a combined event makes it very attractive to attend. Some ATP 250 level events can be very quiet and limited in the amount of players and tennis action to see. This doubles that. This year, some big names are here - Federer, Serena, Sharapova, Feliciano Lopez, and Grigor Dimitrov, to name a few.
Pat Rafter Arena is amazing. It's not too small, not too big, and is outdoor, but covered from the sun - thank goodness! The sun here in the summer can be brutal. There are also 2 other show courts, which are also covered, and 2 more unlucky match courts in the sun.
There is a large selection of food, with very international choices, and multiple bars around the grounds. A big downside is that cash is the only form of payment taken here. This is super annoying because he ATM lines are insanely long and several ran out of cash.
The grounds here are very small, but not any more so than the other smaller tournaments I have attended. It does seem rather crowded though, with few places to sit besides the main courts, and people sit all along the ground and walls around the stadium. It is necessary to note that it was also kids day, which probably added to the crowded effect.
Practice courts are half accessible and half not. Only one court has seating available, which is where they put the bigger name players, such as Federer and Sharapova. The other practice courts are completely fenced in, with no seating around them, making it difficult to watch. Some even have barriers around the fence, completely blocking any view. This means standing room only and peaking through the fence, making pictures and fan/player interaction difficult.
The merchandise stores are limited with only tournament specific gear. No player or brand specific items are avaiable.
Transportation:
I am staying downtown and took the train to the tournament. The closest train station was 10 minutes walk, I had to wait about 15 minutes for a train to arrive, and it was a straight shot to the tournament grounds, taking about 20 minutes. The entry is about a 900 yards walk from the train station, making it very convenient. Just expect to wait some time for a train, as they do not come as often as other cities, like New York, Paris, or London.
I'm excited to see all of the players and matches here and am excited to see how things progress as the week continues.
Here are some of my pictures from the day:
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