How much would it cost to attend all 4 major grand slam tennis tournaments?

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

Tournament	Month	Town
Australian Open	January	Melbourne
French Open	May - June	Paris
Wimbledon	June - July	London
US Open	August - September	New York City

 Any tennis fan dreams of attending one of the major grand slam tournaments at some point in their lifetime. However what if you were able to attend not just one, but ALL of the majors. How much would that cost? Where could you secure the best deals? Well we’re here to give you the breakdown of how much multiple trips like this would cost, and the best methods to save money.

Let’s assume that a regular couple living in Akron, Ohio were trying to attend all the major tournaments. They also would love to see the quarterfinals in each event. Economically, the best way for them to save on their finances would be to purchase “tour packages”. These are a perfect option when traveling overseas. Some of the best packages are available on TWS Tennis Tours (http://www.twstennistours.com/) or Tennis Tours (http://www.tennistours.com).

TWS Tennis Tours seemed to have the most bang for your buck as a typical package would include not just tickets to the event itself, but the hotels and flights as well. They have tours for all of the majors aside from the US Open. One of their most popular packages is for the Australian Open which they call the “Australian Luxury Tour Package”.

Included are - 4 quarterfinal tickets (or 3 semi-finals tickets instead),

-          a round trip economy air flight from LAX to Melbourne with private airport transfers to and from the hotel

-          a booking to a five-star suite hotel with daily breakfast buffets

-          At the event itself-access to the championship bar and corporate lounges, and VIP access to the main gates

-          Private walking tours and a tour of the local art museum are included as well

-          Buggy to ride around in and an exclusive wine tasting

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This particular package assumes that you will be staying for 2 whole weeks and the cost would be $14,950. However, in order to save even more you can drop your stay down or sell off the other tickets included (assuming two individuals are going). This would most likely drop the whole cost down to about $7,500.

Now of course, there are going to be things you’ll need/want to do that might not necessarily be involved in these tour packages. Such as food and attractions. It’s safe to budget about $400 for the attractions assuming that you’re attending about 4 events at $100 each. As for food, you’re looking to spend about $1,100 assuming your meals are eaten at places other than fast food restaurants. Also keep in mind too that if you’re a drinker it might be a good idea to add on another $9-$15 per day depending on how much you plan on consuming.

Similar packages on TW Tennis Tours are not nearly as expensive as they are only over 5 days, don’t include a flight, and typically only give you two tickets instead of four. Their Wimbledon and French Open packages are fairly similar to the Australian package above, except this time costing $6,350. Add in a round trip flight for $1,100 per ticket and you’re at a total of $8,550 just for the essentials. Add on the $400 for attractions and $1,100 for food and you’re looking at about $10,050 for the whole trip.

Fortunately, for a couple living in Akron, Ohio the US Open isn’t nearly as expensive as the overseas tournaments. To attend the quarters and semifinals of the open (types of tickets they offer) and staying in a 3 star hotel over 5 days, you’re looking to spend about $1,695 each. Factor in the food and attraction prices, plus money for gas ($100 on the high end depending on your car) and you’re looking at a little $5,000.

One way to save even more money when traveling to the US Open is by purchasing tickets for the first week of play rather than waiting for the later rounds. That way, not only are you saving money but you also get to explore all the action on the grounds. A lot of the less expensive ticket packages for the first week even grant you access to all of the courts!

Overall on the high end of attending the quarterfinals of all four majors for two people at a moderate comfort level, expect to drop around $33,000. Of course these are all rough estimates and you can definitely eliminate staying at nicer hotels or maybe not eating a high class meal every night. Either way though, definitely be prepared to drop a pretty penny if attending these grand level events is on your bucket list.

For those of you that would LOVE to attend the majors but just can’t fit it into your budgets, there are plenty of other tournaments to attend that might get you more bang for your buck. Indian Wells, Key Biscayne, and the Western & Southern in Cincinnati are just a few that will give fans a more intimate atmosphere to see your favorite players at a much better price tag!

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5 Tips for Playing College Tennis

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

So you just graduated from high school and you’re getting ready to head off to college. You’ve signed your letter of intent to play tennis and now your focus is all on your training. You feel prepared, but are a little unsure of what to expect. College tennis is a whole new environment, and it can be incredibly overwhelming at first. Here are some tips to help you adjust to your brand new team.

Exercise and Train

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One of the most important aspects of playing tennis in college is the training regimen. You’re now playing at a much higher level than you were before. Because of this, you’re going to have to exercise and train much harder. Spend your summer playing as much tennis as you possibly can (aim for 4-5 days a week) and try to hit with players that are at your same level or better. Also, develop an exercise plan for yourself that utilizes a lot of sprints as well as drills for changing direction. If you’re lucky, your coach might even have a summer program for you to follow which will make this even easier for you!

Get to know your new team

One thing I was very happy I did prior to officially going off to college was getting to know some of my teammates ahead of time. This made the transition into college tennis that much easier. If you’re close by, go to some of their matches and start talking to them about the team, what their competition is like, etc. In this age of social media, it’s also incredibly easy to connect with some of the other recruits in your class online. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find a roommate ahead of time if you make it a point to reach out to them.

Be a team player

In a lot of cases, your college team is going to consist of the players who were all the best on their high school teams. Because of this, it’s easy to expect to walk in and be one of the top players. Leave that mindset behind. College tennis is a completely different level and everyone’s a good player. Try and be open to wherever your coach thinks you would fit best. Maybe they see you as a doubles expert or a guaranteed win at six singles. Regardless of where you get placed, have an open mind and be a team player. Remember that both your coach and your teammates are counting on you to play your part for the overall success of the team.

Develop a relationship with your coach

Your coach is the most important link between your game and your success on the team. They recruited you, which means they think that you’re not only a great player, but a great person as well who they want to be part of their success. Show them the appreciation and respect they deserve. Of course there are going to be times where you disagree, but the more you take it upon yourself to get to know them the better off you’ll be. Don’t be afraid to talk to them if you’re unhappy or uncomfortable with something. If the team is important enough to them, they’ll be happy to sit down with you and listen to what you have to say.

Stay Positive

There are going to be times where it’s going to get hard, real hard. You’re going to want to give up and quit and that’s ok. It’s only natural to feel that way when you’re dedicating so much of your time to something of this magnitude and missing out on other fun opportunities in the process. The best advice I can give here is to stay positive and stick with it. Nothing is ever easy, especially in the environment that is college tennis. However, once it’s all over you’re going to look back on those years and be glad you did it.

Having the opportunity to play college tennis is a huge blessing. You’re going to get to travel to all kinds of cool places and get to know incredible people. Remember that not everyone gets an opportunity like this so be open to all the endless possibilities and most importantly, have fun!  

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Tennis Burnout- Taking time off

Kristianne Bontempo & Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Contributors

So you’re feeling the tennis burnout. Weeks go by and you realize you’re not progressing in your lessons, as well as not winning your matches. It’s easy to get frustrated and want to quit altogether, but before you make any decisions you might regret, here’s some tips on how to get your game back when you feel like you’ve hit a wall.

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Take time off - If you’re beginning to feel like playing all the time is doing more harm than good, you might want to consider taking a break from the game. Especially if you’re starting to feel both physically and mentally exhausted. Don’t feel guilty, even the professionals need a break here and there. Create a short term plan for yourself by taking a week off and if you don’t find that you’re missing tennis just yet, try extending your break a little longer. Maybe a whole month is what you’ll need to feel rejuvenated and excited about the game again.

But the team needs you - If you’re struggling to decide if taking some time off is really necessary, especially if you’re team is pressuring you to play or you’re committed to a weekly drill, then try first minimizing the days you want to play. If you’re currently playing 4 days/week, cut it down to 3, then 2. Time away from the court will not only be beneficial to your physical and mental well-being, but it will give you time to hopefully forget some bad habits you felt like you were struggling with in your game. 

Forget the negative thoughts – “I’m no good, my teammates think I suck, I just want to quit.” Sometimes walking on the court can become a dark, dreary place if you’re stuck in a funk. But if you absolutely refuse to take a break, then it’s time to change how you look at the game. Why did you start playing tennis? Did you want to get fit, want to play with your friends, or do you really just love it? Many times when players get into this downward spiral, coaches will often have players start back at the basics—in other words, strip yourself from what is making your tennis experience so negative. If you’re on the biggest losing streak of your life, take a few private lessons to focus on your biggest crutch. If you don’t like the people you’re playing with, find another group. If you’re feeling too much pressure to win your matches, then skip a match or two.

One good thing to keep in mind here is that even if you do end up needing a short break, remember that you’re not missing out if you don’t play for a while. Even if tennis is your time for socialization, your friends won’t forget about you. They’ll understand that you need to do what’s best for you and when you do decide it’s time to return, it’ll be like you never left! Also, make sure that when you do make your big return that it’s when you’re excited about tennis again! Think of your ‘comeback’ (even if it’s a week) as a fresh start to a whole new you. Come back with a positive attitude and start having some fun again! 

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