Magic of the seven-day Masters

Novak Djokovic shares a laugh with Carlos Alcaraz after winning the 2023 Cincinnati Masters. (Getty/Ian Johnson)

A lot of ink has been spilled regarding the changes to the ATP Masters in recent years, as most of the Masters events have transitioned from seven-day to 10-day events.

The Toronto/Montreal Masters has been one of the hardest hit with top players like Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper all withdrawing from the tournaments, leading to weakened fields. There has been speculation that this has been to increase the days of the premium tournaments at the expense of the ATP 250s, but some other things have been lost, which have not been explored in the same amount of detail.

Shop with a 15% storewide discount code: SERVE15 - excludes clearance items, machines, court equipment and gift cards at www.tennisdirect.com.au

I attended the 2023 National Bank Open, which was the last time the one-week event was held in Toronto. It was this experience that convinced me that there is really no drama like the one-week events. Every time you looked, you had top players on court; it really was a special experience.

One of my first memories from the tournament is heading over onto a packed Grandstand court to watch eventual champion Sinner take on Matteo Berrettini in an all-Italian clash. The court was packed to the brim with energy that only the outside courts can generate. The people who queued up all day were at the front, and the others were lapping up the atmosphere. It was exactly what sport should be.

It also made for some unique experiences that you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Tucked away on Court 1, which could barely seat 200 people, Andy Murray was playing an epic against Max Purcell. The crowd was absolutely raucous as Murray took strength from every person on the outside court to come back and beat the serve-volleying Purcell. It is the kind of atmosphere that can't be replicated on a stadium court, and the opportunity to see such a legend of the game on an outside court is a privilege that few have and is what made the one-week events special.

The big stadiums, both at Grand Slam and at Masters level, often feel cavernous, especially in the early rounds. They are often empty, and spectators are so far from the action that it is difficult to get a feel of what is going on. Watching top players on outside courts allows fans to develop an affinity with the sport and with the player, which creates a lasting impact. Now, the experience of seeing players grow is well and truly becoming lost.

The Masters Zone with Tim Prince delves into the ITF Masters Tour for those aged 30+ to 90+ with the latest results in Australia and around the world with special guests - The First Serve Podcasts

The shift also has an impact on doubles, although not in the way that one might think.

Top players draw fans into tournaments, given that really only a handful of names actually sell tickets to the tournament. The rest of the fans buy tickets to see the tennis and enjoy the atmosphere. This means that they wander the grounds. Often, the outside courts are filled with doubles action, meaning casual fans can soak up an underappreciated aspect of the sport whilst enjoying the ambience of the tennis.

Now, while doubles is, in theory, taking centre stage more often with more doubles matches on top courts, the opportunity for people to wander around and get to know the doubles game and the players is almost completely gone. The fan who comes to watch Djokovic is no longer going to stick around for Nikola Mektić and Rajeev Ram, and the Iga Świątek fan will no longer discover the magic of Sara Errani. The unique opportunity that tennis brings to watch different players, matchups and game styles has almost completely vanished.

The joy of a tennis tournament comes from the hustle and bustle of matches going on. The parochial support of countrymen on the outside courts, the scrambling for the best seats, the buzz and the delirium. While 10-day Masters events may be more profitable in the short term, they lose what makes tennis so great. And that doesn't even begin to describe how the players feel…

Unleash power and comfort like never before with the new Yonex EZONE 100 Tennis Racquet — designed for dynamic performance, a plush feel, and a sweet spot built to elevate your game. 

For more information visit yonex.com/ezone