Here's what you need to know about the 2016 Rogers Cup in Toronto.
The Players
As a Masters 1000 event, the second most prestigious category behind the grand slams, the Rogers Cup typically features a strong field. This is only fitting given its history as the Canadian Open, our national tennis championship.
This year, the field is particularly strong, thanks in part to the Rio Olympics which begin on August 5. This will prove an important pre-tournament for those players headed to Rio, and may witness the return of Rafael Nadal, who's been injured since the French Open but will likely want at least one tournament under his belt before heading to South America.
The Rogers Cup is also scheduled to be Novak Djokovic's first tournament since he was knocked out of Wimbledon in the third round by Sam Querrey. It will be fascinating to see if he's returned to form after that stunning upset.
Beyond the big four - Djokovic, Murray, Federer, and Nadal - there's significant intrigue in the draw thanks to two Canadians. Milos Raonic's play at Wimbledon makes him look as poised as ever to win Canada's biggest tournament for the first time in his career, which would be a historic feat given that no Canadian has done so in decades.
Future star and Richmond Hill native Denis Shapovalov, who's coming off of a Junior Wimbledon win, will make his Rogers Cup debut this year. This will be a bit of a coming out party for the 17 year old, who's ranked as the second best junior in the world. It'll be a tough test against the men, but it would be great to see him win a round or two.
Watching the matches
Attending tennis tournaments is a bit different from other sports, where you can simply buy a ticket to a given match. Based on the way the draw works, would-be spectators buy tickets for sessions rather than individual matches.
In general, tournament days are divided into two sessions: day and night. For the best chance to see a wide variety of players, your best bet is to buy a day session ticket in one of the early rounds when the draw is still robust. As the tournament continues, there are less players to see, but presumably higher quality matches.
Hardcore tennis fans might opt to buy a midweek package, which grants them access to four different sessions, and would all but guarantee that they see the player of their choice. Weekend packages are already sold out, though individual tickets for weekend sessions remain.
If you're looking to do the Rogers Cup on the cheap, you can take in the spectacle of opening day on Centre Court for $20 as part of a special deal. Your seat will be near the top of the stadium, but the Aviva Centre isn't huge (11,000 seats), so you'll still have a good vantage point.
Speaking of vantage points, tickets range considerably based on the level of seating. After opening day, blue level seating (the furthest from the court) starts at $40 and goes up as the tournament gets deeper. You can spend up to $495 on premium tickets to the finals, though there are plenty of cheaper options to sit lower during the earlier rounds.
What happens if it rains?
If a session is completely washed out, the majority of ticket holders are able to exchange their tickets for a session the next day or apply the ticket price to a session later in the tournament. There are, however, a variety of exceptions to this rule, so it's best to read the fine print on the rain policy before buying tickets.
What else is there to do at the Aviva Centre?
Attending a tennis tournament usually involves spending some time on the grounds outside of the stadium, particularly if there's a bit of drizzle. When you're not in the Centre Court stands, you can check out the retail village, which features restaurants, shops, a stage, and an area for autograph sessions.
Thanks to Mayfair Clubs for sponsoring this post.
Photo via the Rogers Cup.
by Derek Flack via blogTO
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