RL360 is sponsoring Douglas Lawn Tennis Club to help the development of tennis players on the Isle of Man. Tennis is a fantastic sport to play but it’s also one of the most exciting to watch and its tournaments are some of the hottest sporting tickets on the planet. At the highest level, thousands will flock to see the world’s greatest players compete live on the biggest stages. While the pandemic disrupted the 2020 season, some major competitions will finally take place this year and with this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 10 tennis tournaments you should attend at least once in your life.

1. Wimbledon

Where else to start but with the most prestigious tennis tournament of all: Wimbledon. Of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon attracts the most attention and remains the favourite of fans and professional tennis players alike. The tournament has a long and illustrious history dating back to 1877, when it was played on the grand lawns of the All England club outside of London. Besides world-class tennis, Wimbledon is also infamous for Royal appearances, celebrity spotting, fresh strawberries and cream and the famous all-white dress code.

2. US Open

The US Open is a continuation of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world: the US National Championship, which was first played in 1881 as a national men’s singles and doubles competition. Like most major tennis championships, the US Open is as much a media circus and tourist attraction as it is a sporting event, but it’s also as close as tennis comes to a festival. There’s live music to open and then throughout spectators have ready access to a host of street-food stalls, shops and bars.

3. Australian Open

Nicknamed the Happy Slam, the Australian Open is a favourite among some of the world’s best players – and not just for Melbourne’s beautiful beaches and endless supply of sushi rolls. It’s here that the world has seen some of best matches, including Novak Djokovic, who has won a record 7 Australian Open titles. Melbourne Park precinct is currently the home of the Australian Open but this hasn’t always been the case with the tournament having been played at more than a dozen other sites in its 114-year history - including Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and New Zealand.

4. French Open

The French Open is one of the most feared tournaments among top players. Roland Garros is famously the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay courts, a surface that slows the players and makes for gruelling and fierce matches. Many legendary players have been unable to win the career slam because of a failure to triumph at the French Open - even the great Roger Federer has only 1 win under his belt. The defending champion at the French Open is Rafael Nadal, who has won the tournament 13 times.

5. Summer Olympic Games Tennis Tournament

The Summer Games is unique among tennis tournaments because spectators can enjoy many other sporting competitions at this one incredible event. Tennis was dropped from the Summer Games in 1924 but it was later returned to the Olympic programme in 1988 and since then the tournament has only grown in importance among players and fans alike. The 9-day tournament sees intense competition between players competing for national pride, and when spectators aren’t checking out tennis, they can watch some of the world’s best athletes compete in 33 other sports.

6. The Davis Cup

The Davis Cup started out as a men’s competition between USA and Great Britain but it has become the world’s largest annual international team competition – effectively the World Cup of men’s tennis. Great Britain’s men have lifted the trophy 10 times since the tournament began in 1900, most recently in 2015 when Andy Murray finally broke that 79-year wait for the trophy to come home. In contrast to the polite audiences of most tennis events, this is an unashamedly partisan event, with flag weaving and raucous cheering for the home team, creating an intense and intimidating atmosphere. The experience is unique in the sport.

7. WTA Finals

Held in China, the year-end finale of the WTA Tour is a prestigious tournament for the top-ranked professional women’s players. It’s also one of the toughest competitions because the WTA Finals takes place at the end of the season in late October - when players have been pushed to their mental and physical limit. In spite of this, the WTA Finals see some of the best games of the season, not least of which because players are competing for a record-breaking $4.725 million first-prize cheque - the richest title in tennis.

8. ATP Finals

The ATP Finals is the second highest tier of tennis after the Grand Slam tournaments, where the best players compete for the coveted year-end title. The tournament moves around historically and has been played in over 15 cities worldwide. After spending the last 12 years in London, this year the finals will move to Turin. This signals the end of an era for London but also professional tennis, as the move coincides with the approaching retirement of juggernaut players who have dominated the sport since 2004: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

9. BNP Paribas – Indian Wells Tennis Masters

BNP Paribas is one of the biggest events outside of the Grand Slam’s and end of year Tour Finals. The tournament takes place against the backdrop of sunny California so it’s little wonder it’s known as a ‘Tennis Paradise’. Every year over 400,000 fans flock to the tournament to soak up all this a stunning tourist destination has to offer - including luxury resorts, high-end shopping, dining and spas and (for a bit of variety) some world-class golf.

10. Miami Open

As you might have gathered, tennis has one of the longest histories of any modern sport. It’s unusual then for modern tournaments to make a name for themselves but the Miami Open, (which only began in 1985) is undoubtedly the place to be in the Spring. Attendance at its Hard Rock Stadium in Crandon Park has topped 300,000 people in the past - which is almost unheard of for a non-Majors tournament. The Miami Open however has a lot to offer and even if visitors get tired of watching rallies there’s plenty else to do when you’re surrounded by beautiful beaches, fabulous food and stunning golf courses.