Two tennis tourneys in two towns in three Days

The Australian Open has just finished, and baseball season will soon begin. For the tennis hungry, this can only mean two tennis tourneys in two towns in three days. Unlike many contests, the National Bank Open (Canadian Open) is held in early August (6-15th) in the heart of glorious summer. Oddly, both the men’s and women’s competitions are held simultaneously in individual cities. Both are very prestigious, just ranking behind Grand Slams in importance. Each year play rotates, with the men in one town and women in the other. And reverse that the following year.

Yearly professional tennis may be enough for the casual observer. For the tennis enthusiasts, or in my case, addiction, this barely inspires me to play – kidding, tennis anyone. I had often wondered if it is possible to see two tournaments in two cities in three days and at the same time turn it into a whirlwind family holiday. With the current Canadian travel restrictions, many people will not be travelling abroad, and this may prove to be a fun adventure for the tennis fan in all of us.

Release the doves.

Our home base is in Toronto, and we have ventured up to the National Tennis Centre to see some of the greatest players compete on numerous occasions. Yet, we have never been to see the Montreal version. This year was going to be different—two tennis tourneys in three days.

The tournament was now beginning; it was a Tuesday morning, and many of the main draw competitors would start to play. Buying tickets for the early rounds allows you to explore the grounds and see many of the surrounding courts’ matches. Often, you can see your favourites practicing not more than a few feet away from you. If you love tennis, this is the best time to witness the talents these people exhibit. Did I mention, these are some of the least expensive tickets you can purchase.

Which way do we go?

Jumping into the car on a warm summer morning, we drove the forty minutes to the Aviva Centre at York University. We have been coming to this tournament for years, and parking for spectators without passes is a nightmare. There is ample parking, and you can expect to pay 20 dollars CDN to rest your vehicle for the day. Unfortunately, it can take up to 15 minutes in a yellow school bus from the parking lot to the stadium. In the morning, when the air is still cool is not an issue. However, during mid-afternoon, the busses are sweltering with no air conditioning—just hot air blowing in from the outside. 

Public transportation may be an option depending on where you are in the city. It was not until recently that they have included a TTC subway stop near the tournament. The transit station is for York University students, and you will still have to walk across the campus to get to the stadium. Honestly, this is not convenient. From our location, getting to the tournament via public transit would take over 3 hours. I could probably ride my bicycle faster– this is not a family option, so the KIA chariot it is.

Where magic begins

The beacon of tennis beckons you, and like a cult member, you follow blindly. Through the turnstiles, after the security check, you enter one of the pillars of Canadian tennis. Immediately to your right is the Aviva stadium. Still, we have no interest in that. We need to find the playing schedule and who is practicing when. Some top-tier pros will be playing today, while others may be up and comers, No matter which players you get the opportunity to watch, it is a pleasure to see anyone do something at the height of their craft. May they be athletes or artisans.

The natural ease and confidence that exudes with every stroke of the racquet. On the odd occasion, you may have the opportunity to converse with coaches while putting their charges through the morning routine. Sometimes, I have to admit they seem a little angry, or it could simply be the Austrian accent. Understandably, this is their livelihood 50 weeks a year, and we are just seeing two tournaments in three days.

More than racquets and strings.

Professional tennis tournaments have many recreational activities for the spectators. Most are tennis-based activities for the young and those who still remember Ivan Lendl. Honestly, it is a great deal of fun. With luck, you will receive a NBO (National Bank Open) tennis ball for participation.

An outdoor pavilion is available to purchase everything from life insurance to yogurt. There is, of course, an area where you can buy all of your new tennis equipment- if it is tennis-related, you will find it here. Are you looking for the outfit that Roger Federer is wearing this summer? It can be yours. I have yet to see any deals here, but that is not the intention. 

Watching tennis is hard work.

Shopping and watching tennis in the hot afternoon sun can be exhausting, and you will need a break from the rhythm of the balls and the sweaty men or women in their tennis attire. Here I would like to add that you should bring a hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water at all times. Pet Peeve: Water can be expensive, and I do not remember seeing any water fountains. For the sake of the environment, can you create a refillable water solution?

The grounds are set up with two or three places to get food and alcoholic beverages. If you are considering an Alcoholic drink, ensure that you do not leave the “designated area(s).” At a Premier League soccer match, they let you wander with your beverage- this is tennis. Have you ever heard of a tennis riot? The headline reads: “12 dead at a tennis match!” No. Here is another service element that they should rethink. Remember that even the most modest foodstuff will cost more than you will think it is worth. Either way, a cold beer and a sandwich are dire at this point. Price is no object. After taking an hour or so out of the sun, it is time to get back to tennis.

It has been a long day, almost 6 hours of watching tennis, and you are hot and tired. Now to find that school bus to take you back to your car where you can turn the air conditioning up high. It was a great family outing.

Diesel in the morning.

It was now 9 am, and we were on the second day of our two tennis tourneys in two towns in three days tour. Comfortably seated in our Via1 car at Toronto’s Union Station, and soon we were off to Montreal. For those who are not aware of the distance, it is about 500 kilometre from Toronto to Montreal. While this is drivable, there are a few excellent reasons to take the train. Train travel has always been synonymous with romance and adventure. With the train readying for the departure, the station’s smell, and the porters’ hustle as they get the baggage and confectionaries onboard. We, the passengers, anticipate the journey. We decided to take Via 1, the champagne class of Canadian rail travel. It was a family vacation.

Service in Via 1 is exemplary. A full array of food and cocktails keeps the ride moving along the rails as the km’s clicks away. The seats are spacious and more akin to airplane seats with ample legroom. Most importantly, you don’t have to drive. Driving into Montreal is strenuous at the best of times, and those times have not changed since confederation. I am not sure if this is a coincidence or not, but it seems that the quality of service improved crossing the provincial border. A minor thing, Johnny Walker Red in Ontario, to a selection of single malts in Quebec. It must be a coincidence.

“Smells like teen spirit.”

Since the Hotel Fairmont, The Queen Elizabeth’s renovations, the Montreal Central Station is only one escalator below. As it happened, we were staying here. Add that to another reason as to not to drive. As we ascended to the hotel lobby, something very odd occurred. The red and white of the NBO adorned the hotel. Unbeknownst to us was the hotel sponsoring the Montreal leg of the tournament and the residence for many players. There were ladies with tennis bags as far as the eye could see. As my better half checked us into our rooms, I had to find out more about the hotel’s relationship with the tournament. 

Shuttles were leaving every 30 minutes to Stade IGA. Although they were primarily for players and coaches, ticket holders also had use of the service. I absorbed as much information as I could, times, protocols, anything and everything. I felt like I was in tennis Nirvana. Dropping our bags into our rooms, we had the rest of the day and night to explore the beautiful city of Montreal. Day two of our two tennis tourneys in two towns in three days was going better than anyone could have expected.

The old town, New explorations.

As a family, this was the first time we had been to Montreal together. My spouse and I have been here a few times in the past for various reasons. We wanted to take our son to the old city, which dates back to the early 1600s, and fortunately, it was within walking distance from our hotel. The streets were alive, with buskers, tourists, and locals all enjoying the city’s sights and sounds. Not to be missed in this area are; The Notre Dame Basilica, one of Montreal’s most famous architectural sites. Saint Paul Street, this cobblestone boulevard, has been the gateway to many historic buildings in the area. Marche Bonsecours, The Grand quay, and the Old Port of Montreal are just a few of the many places we visited that day.

Soon we found ourselves in a corner cafe off of Place Jacques- Cartier having dinner, just one of the many surrounding restaurants in the area. Oddly the waiter was a Chicago Blackhawks fan- I didn’t think that was allowed here(hockey joke). The service was immaculate, and if at all possible, the food better. Laughing, talking and watching the people pass by as the coffee carafe emptied and the warm summer’s afternoon slowly slipped into the night.

 I want to share this, our son is 18, and in Quebec, the drinking age is 18. Unlike Ontario, where it is 19. Here he ordered his first beer, although sheepishly, I am sure it is a moment he will not forget, nor will I.

Sedate with tranquillity.

We walked the enchanted small European-like streets, enjoying the night air while window shopping the boutiques. Unrecognized by us, the night sky clouded over, and the rumble of thunder started to shake the edifice that surrounded us. Absorbed by our environment, we did not recognize the rain until it came down with the ferocity of a tsunami. As a semi seasoned traveller, I have a reasonably good internal compass or a sense of self-preservation. We made our way to the nearest Marche or supermarket and asked for directions.

In case you are concerned that you don’t speak French, try. Soon you will be speaking English. Montreal is very bilingual. Our hotel was only five blocks away, and soon we were towelling off and considering a swim. Another successful end to two tennis tourneys in two towns in three days.

Shh, maybe they will not notice.

Having breakfast, we checked the days scheduled- a full complement of tennis was ready to be played. We checked our bags with the concierge and took the next available shuttle best to the stadium. As the passengers boarded, it didn’t take very long to notice that we were the only non-players or coaches on the coach. Most were the journeywoman players, hoping that this would be their break-out tourney or cut into the prize money. It was the united nations of personalities and languages. Again, this experience was far beyond what we would have imagined. We were definitely in the wrong place, but that is where the exciting segments of life begin—being on the inside looking in.  

Montreal’s topography is significantly different from Toronto’s. We found ourselves reclined into the seat as the bus climbed its way out of the city to the IGA Stadium tennis facility. The 30 minutes went by very fast as I was eavesdropping on the conversations around me. From players’ health to strategy to cattiness, no topic was left unheard- magical.

If you were going to take the metro system to the tennis stadium, there is a station at the facility. Like Toronto, it would entail a walk, however, not as lengthy. Looking at the map, you would need to exchange trains. There is a bus that will take you right to the stadium. Please see the Montreal metro map for more detailed information.

Coney Island baby

 Arriving, we walked in with the “other” players on the bus, and soon we found ourselves in the middle of an amusement park-sized tennis environment. I was fully expecting there to be a rides section with clowns and cotton candy. Like many tennis tournaments, you can walk freely throughout the grounds and witness many matches and practices beyond the main courts. Previously known as Jarry park, the IGA Stadium is about the same size as the Aviva Centre court in Toronto. However, there is also a Grandstand court that is substantially larger than the Grandstand court in Toronto. Roaming around the grounds takes more energy because of the distances you cover.

Always time for a snack.

Worry not; the NBO has you covered with a multitude of cuisines and beverages. From corned beef sandwiches ( not Schwartz’s )to poutine and many other culinary attractions. You will also notice that you could purchase a cold beer or glass of wine at each of these kiosks and stroll with your beverage in hand or sit in the many picnic areas. After sitting in the center court for hours, we were exhausted. They had their lunch and fell asleep in the many lounge chairs in one of the picnic areas. Perhaps I drove them too hard. It was a sweltering day. I wandered around, knowing that they were very safe.

Before leaving a glorious day of tennis, we stopped by the gift shop for souvenirs. They had the same selection of boutiques as they did in Toronto. Still, I purchased a trinket to commemorate the day.

The Conductor blew the whistle.

Our train,1scheduled to leave Montreal at 7 pm. We found our air-conditioned coach, and it was just about six pm when we arrived back at the hotel. Sadly, Tennis Canada staff were taking the bus downtown and not a compliment of players. Retrieving our bags from the concierge, we washed away the summer grime at the nearest washroom. Soon, we were on the concourse level to get snacks before our journey back to Toronto. 

Our train ride back was on the regular priced fare. We booked late, and the seats in Via 1 not available. I can honestly say that this did not sully the experience in any way. The seats were comfortable, and we brought our snacks. However, you could buy sandwiches and beverages on the train should you choose. We spent the journey falling in and out of slumber as the cities passed by in our midst. Thus winding down from our two tennis tourneys in two iconic towns all within three days adventure.

It may be humble.

It was after 1 am when we finally placed the key into the lock of the front door. There was not much said as we dropped our bags from fatigue and made our way to our respective rooms for a well-deserved sleep. The quarter-finals were the next day. A comfortable home with a TV is an excellent method to rest your weary bones after a two tennis tournament in two towns in three days extravaganza.

Summer will soon be here, and tennis is an ideal way to wile away the days. Each tournament reflects the essence of the respective cities: Toronto, a more conservative place where adherence to the rules is knit into its fabric. Then you have Montreal with its laissez-faire (letting things take their course) mentality. As Frank Zappa once said, “you are what you is.”

It was a smash.

 Are you a tennis player or simply someone that enjoys the game? Have you ever been to any of these tournaments, and do you have a favourite? Did you notice a cultural difference between the two tournaments and cities? Have you ever considered attending either one or perhaps both? If so, we would love to hear about your adventure. So please leave your comments in the section below. If you liked this blog post, feel free to subscribe.

Last year (2020), the NBO tournaments were cancelled due to Covid19. Hopefully, it will be played this year with spectators. With luck, we are considering doing our two tennis tournaments in two towns in three days tour of both again. This time it might be five days. Both cities are unique, and you will have a monumental time in either town beyond witnessing some fantastic tennis. I have heard that the city of love in Paris. In Canada, we have two cities of love. The ball is now in your court. Hope to see you there.

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VTE