As a young boy, Felix Auger-Aliassime learned how to get creative to watch his heroes practise at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal.
“I’d get up on my tiptoes and try to see between the holes in the fences,” the Canadian World No. 5 said.
“I always found it more intriguing to go to the practices, to see the players from up close, how they grip the racquet and their intensity. You see their sweat, you see their footwork much better than if you’re up there in the nosebleeds [for a match].”
Fan interest in watching practices has only grown over time, prompting organisers of the Rolex Shanghai Masters to ponder this rhetorical question: ‘Surely there’s got to be a better way?’
Meet the Royal Caribbean Masters Practice Court at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center, with seating for 1,300. Built last year for the sole purpose of providing better viewing of practices and bringing fans closer to their heroes, the court has been a huge hit.
“We’ve seen the success other Masters have had [with practice court access] and we wanted to take it to the next level,” Tournament Director Michael Luevano said. “Chinese fans love to be close to the players. We do activations with the players and the crowd is always enthusiastic and interactive.”
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with fans as he executes the 'impossible shot'.
‘John’, who has been coming to the Rolex Shanghai Masters for many years from his home two hours’ drive away in Hangzhou, said that watching practice is one of the key reasons he attends the tournament. A keen player for 20 years, John incorporates key observations into his own game.
“I watch matches on television, but you cannot watch the players closely when they practise,” he said.
“I make a lot of videos [on my phone] of how they practise, whether they have some small tactics or techniques to talk about with their coaches. I especially want to hear what they say to their coaches.
“So to have this nice court built just for practice is great for fans. And it’s a relaxed atmosphere and we can talk. The size of the court is a surprise.”
Novak Djokovic had fans laughing and cheering during his evening practice.
The court was at capacity when four-time champion Novak Djokovic took his first practice Thursday night after his arrival from Beijing. The four-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion acknowledged fans from close range at the back of the court before beginning his session and bantered with them several times throughout the session.
Fans cheered an early Djokovic drop-shot winner and a searing forehand winner down the line. The 24-time Grand Slam champion had fun striking a ballerina pose, poking fun at the style of his hitting partner and drawing laughter from fans.
When Carlos Alcaraz practised Saturday ahead of his opening match, fans queued in a long line just to get in, such is the court’s popularity. On Wednesday, some fans got to hit with Tommy Paul and Brandon Nakashima after they finished their practice.
Fans queue to watch Alcaraz practise.
‘Jimmy’, 17, and his fellow Shanghai resident ‘Simon’, 10, were in the stands on Tuesday of Week 1 to watch their favourite player Andrey Rublev go through his paces.
“I like to watch what the players are doing in practice and I can copy that for my own game,” Jimmy said.
Simon said: “My favourite player is Rublev too and this court gives me the chance to get close to him and maybe get an autograph.”
Auger-Aliassime, who practised on the court last year with Jiri Lehecka, added, “It’s a great setup for the fans. It has great visibility from all around the court, which is not always the case. Fans can sit and enjoy it like it’s a real match, and they can really enjoy the practice. So it’s a great setup from the tournament for the fans.
“I can relate to the fans, because I was that kid once.”
