There’s Still Time to Catch Some Great Tennis at the BB&T Atlanta Open
Atlanta is all about tennis. We have more registered tennis players than any other city in the country. We play year round and often in more than one league at a time. We’re a bit addicted to the sport to be totally honest.
So, when some of the best players in the world come to town for the BB&T Atlanta Open, as part of the ATP World Tour on the way to the US Open, we can’t miss out on that action, either.
The Friday night match is sold out, but you can still catch some of the fun this weekend.
Who will you see play? Well, several of the favorites are still standing, despite this Atlanta heat that we know all too well (who hasn’t had to fight out a 3-hour-long singles match in these sweltering temperatures before?).
There’s Isner, Baghdatis, Sock and Pospisil to name a few. Plus, Roddick and Fish in doubles, along with the Bryan Brothers.
If you go, there are a few things you should know.
First, that heat isn’t just impacting the players. Fans in the stadium are also suffering from extreme temps, so stay hydrated and bring a fan. Bring your cool towels if you have them, too. They were handing some out Wednesday morning, but ran out quickly. You’ll want something to try to combat the heat. And lots and lots of water. Drink up.
Second, parking is a little different this year than year’s past. Be sure to check the site’s Facebook page for a video of instructions (click here for the direct link).
Third, there aren’t as many food options on site as years past. Of course, you can always leave the tennis venue and go find food in Atlantic Station. There are several restaurants worth trying.
Finally, enjoy yourself. I watched from 2pm until 11pm on Wednesday and managed to see two singles matches and three doubles matches. It was great tennis, despite the heat. And I got some amazing photos of some of my favorite players. Many of these were captured with a simple iPhone camera. Being able to get as close to these players as you do your teammates during any given Saturday or Sunday match is probably my favorite part of the BBT Atlanta Open each year. Besides, where else will you see a 148mph serve? If the folks you are playing on Saturday and Sunday are serving that, send them up to the professionals.
