Jeffrey Hurst

PHED 133A

Roscoe Moonieyan

12/1/2021

The Four Tournaments

Wimbledon, regarded as the most prestigious tennis tournament is also the oldest tennis

tournament known to man. This tournament is played at the All England Club in Wimbledon,

London. Wimbledon is played on a grass court during June 28th through July 11th. Now what

makes Wimbledon so special isn’t the fact that it is the only tournament still played on its

original surface. It isn’t the all white dress code or the prize money. It is the fact that the royal

family is required to attend every single match. Each opponent must also bow to any members of

the royal family when entering and leaving the court.

The US Open, established in 1881, is the 2nd oldest tournament of the Grand Slam. It is

played in New York City, New York, United States. Unlike Wimbledon, this tournament is

played on a hardcourt. What makes this tournament special is that the excitement and buzz from

New York City. It also is the tournament that marks the end of the Grand Slam session.

The Australian Open is played at Melbourne park in Melbourne, Australia. It is played

from January 17th through January 30th and marks the first of the Grand Slam. The Australian
Open is played on hardcourt and the reason that the Australian Open became one of the biggest

sporting events because it is the highest attended Grand Slam event. More than 812,000 people

were seated at the 2020 Australian Open.

The French Open is played at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France. This tournament

is played May 30th and concludes the weekend of June 12-13th. Unlike the other Grand Slam

tournaments, the French Open is played on a clay court and is also what makes the French Open

so special due to the distinctive orange that goes against a stark contrast to the blue of the US and

Australian Opens, or the green in Wimbledon.

With everything being said, I believe that Wimbledon is my favorite. I am choosing

Wimbledon not because it is the oldest and most known. Not because of the all white dress code

either. I am choosing Wimbledon because it is the only Grand Slam that fans can attend without

tickets and a chance to obtain seats. Fans can gather in “The Queue” and receive a numbered

card for standby seats on the Centre Court. Wimbledon gives a chance for fans who may not be

able to afford tickets, an opportunity to make memories.