We update this ranking each time we visit a new tournament. Much like the ATP and WTA live rankings, these reactions are largely unpredictable and always changing. Read below.
#1
MADRID OPEN
The tournament that does everything right. Who knew that the most enjoyable tournament on tour would earn that title by simply getting out of the way?
Madrid doesn't have the loudest reputation on the tour calendar. Some players skip it. Purists occasionally dismiss it as the "Miami of the clay swing" (an insult that needs to be investigated). And yet, within minutes of arriving at the Caja Mágica, it became obvious that this is what a tennis tournament is supposed to feel like.
Other events have their pros and cons — Madrid is drowning in its pros, with nary a con in sight. The grounds are well-designed, the city surrounding it is world-class, and the tennis sits exactly where it belongs: at the center of everything (physically and narratively). It's everything we loved about the Cincinnati Open with better weather, less Ohio, and more Spain.
Attended: 2026WHAT WE LIKE
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Caja Mágica is the best-designed tennis facility we've visited: three major courts wrapped around a breezy, air-conditioned central concourse that never feels chaotic or crowded. One of the only tournaments that feels like it was designed to facilitate large crowds — not only in the amount of space, but in how fans spectate, move around, and enjoy.
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By the end of the trip, Madrid had become one of our favorite cities in the world. It's beautiful, clean, and constantly active without ever feeling overwhelming. The food alone is worth the trip: croquetas at Mercado de San Miguel, churros at San Ginés, and enough pan con tomate and jamón ibérico to last a lifetime.
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The Madrid crowd takes tennis seriously — this is not the place to have your phone go off mid-rally unless you'd enjoy being publicly shamed by both the audience and the chair umpire simultaneously. The ushers match that same intensity, not even allowing entry during the mini-changeover after the first game. The crowd and etiquette remind you what it’s supposed to feel like watching tennis with other enthusiasts.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
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Literally nothing.
#2
CINCINNATI OPEN
It’s the people’s tournament. If you can stand the heat, it’ll change your life.
The Cincinnati Open may be based in the least enticing destination of all North American tennis tournaments (admit it, you'd sooner book a vacation to New York, Miami, or Palm Springs), but it offers a one-of-a-kind, transformative tennis experience. For any fan, it is a powerful reminder that at the heart of our stadiums, past the hustle and hype, are real people: world-class athletes hitting a fuzzy yellow ball with unmatched power and precision. In this case, often ten feet in front of you.
While it's still about the cocktails and the outfits, it's simultaneously about none of that at all. This is about pure tennis adoration, up close and personal.
Attended: 2025WHAT WE LIKE
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The Cincinnati Open is one of those tournaments popular enough to attract all the major players, yet intimate enough that the stadiums aren’t massive and the outer courts feel especially cozy – giving you the chance to get up close and personal with some of your favorite players, including those in the top 10. We had heard this advice before attending the tournament and found it to be absolutely true.
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The tennis crowd at the Cincinnati Open is truly unique. It was refreshing to be able to turn to your right or left and have in-depth conversations about players outside the Top 50, iconic moments from 50 years ago, or just nuanced discussions about the sport in general. We met countless people with whom we shared little in common in age or background, yet connected instantly through our love of tennis.
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2025 marked the reveal of the Cincinnati Open’s $260M renovation – and we were there to experience it! From the start, it was clear the investment paid off. Unlike other tournaments, the grounds felt easy to navigate, with every court and space accessible without having to involuntarily walk a half-marathon. Highlights included a shady, park-like food plaza with Ohio’s favorite vendors and a newly expanded Pavilion, offering cover from sun or showers. Overall, the refreshed courts and landscaping created a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
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While it was refreshing to connect with fellow fans, the downside is that many American spectators express their love for the game in a distinctly American way. Unfortunately, despite their passion, there isn’t much adherence to traditional tennis etiquette – such as keeping quiet or avoiding movement during points.
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Sun vs. shade becomes a giant theme at the Cincinnati Open – this tournament is hot. Different than Miami Open hot, or any other kind of tennis tournament hot. This is dead of summer, direct-sun heat. Shade is a prized possession, and finding it isn't always easy. Read our guide for the best ways to navigate this!
#3
MIAMI OPEN
You can’t deny that it’s “the Parking Lot Open” (thanks Jiri Lehecka, 2025) — but the Magic City brings the magic in different ways.
The Miami Open comes under a fair amount of deserved scrutiny for building a Masters 1000 event in what feels like the parking lot of a JCPenney. You'll find it at the bottom of most people's tournament lists. However, looking past the macro facility (it's one of the only top-level tournaments not held in a year-round tennis center) you'll discover a tournament with passionate fans, brand activations that rival the US Open, and an exciting dose of the aspirational "who's-who" watching that comes with Grand Slam tournaments. Just bring binoculars and an extra reserve of patience for center court.
Attended: 2023, 2025WHAT WE LIKE
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From our last experience, the Miami Open had some of the most fun brand activations. We had a great time taking selfies in the INNBeauty booth, exploring the different teas at the Art of Tea (First Official Tea Sponsor of the Miami Open), stocking up on sunscreen samples from La Roche Posay, and best of all riding the Sky View gondola overlooking the entire Miami Open grounds sponsored by Piper-Heidsieck. We encourage you to explore the grounds, engage with the brand activations, and get some free things!
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One of the reasons we love the Miami Open (and why we’ve been twice) is that, much like the US Open, it’s hosted in a one-of-a-kind city. Miami offers everything: a beachside getaway, vibrant cultural neighborhoods, world-class dining, and a buzzing arts and nightlife scene. If you go, carve out time for both the matches and a proper vacation.
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Above all tournaments, the Miami Open does the best job of enforcing etiquette – no seating until changeovers, no big movement, and no excessive noise between points. I’d like to think this is due to Miami’s heavy international influence. Their ushers are among the most proactive we’ve seen, creating a true tennis-first environment that prioritizes the players’ ability to perform over the crowd’s urge to socialize. And while the event of course still boasts a “who’s who” energy, there’s still a clear respect for the sport at its core.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
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After visiting several major stadiums, we’ve found that Centre Court at the Miami Open is the least rewarding main stage of all. Since 2019, the tournament has been staged inside Hard Rock Stadium, with Center Court built on the football field. The setup feels incredibly makeshift, and the stadium’s shallow, horizontal rake pushes you farther from the action. A good view depends less on bowl level and more on proximity to the court (for instance, Row G is not made equal on all four sides) – making the tickets that allow you to feel the tennis much, much pricier.
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Getting to the Miami Open sucks! Public transit isn’t really an option, so your best bets are Uber or driving. Depending on where you’re staying in Miami, an Uber can get surprisingly expensive and the commute lengthy. If you drive, you can park in official Miami Open lots (which you must pay for), but be prepared: exiting after the tournament can take 30–60 minutes. Another option is staying in Aventura or North Miami to cut Uber costs. No matter what, give yourself extra time to leave – you don’t want to nearly miss your dinner reservation, like we did!
#4
US OPEN
Pros: it’s the US Open. Cons: it’s the US Open.
The US Open is among the worst places I can think of in the world to watch tennis. The event is full of attendees who are dreadfully out of touch with (or just disinterested in) the sport. It's much more about leaving the grounds with a hat and posting on Instagram than watching the match. Increasingly, it's about posting on your Instagram story and insinuating that you might start to care about the sport, then losing interest three days later.
However, as I progress deeper into my tennis fandom, I'm getting off of my high horse and reconsidering. Is it cool to hate on the US Open? Do NFL fans hate on the Super Bowl? What if the biggest, most commercial event in our favorite sport just happens to be that: big and commercial? Is it such a crime?
Anyway, pop a beta blocker and make your way to Queens for a tennis experience to either 1) write home about or 2) post on Instagram about. Just skip the beta blocker (can you drink on those?) if you plan on any $23 Honey Deuces.
Attended: 2021, 2024, 2025GUIDE COMING SOONWHAT WE LIKE
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The hype leading up to the US Open is undeniable. Fashion, celebrity, brands… the buzz is incredibly real, and the tournament has become not only the highlight of the American hardcourt swing but perhaps the highlight of the full season. What sets the US Open apart is its electric atmosphere: passionate, intoxicated crowds, lethal night sessions under the lights, and a festival-like vibe that feels beyond tennis.
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The US Open is made infinitely better by the fact that players love it. The big prize money and the final Grand Slam checkpoint of the year means many players show up and play their absolute best tennis, which makes for electric matches. You can tell when players want to be at a tournament versus when they'd rather be literally anywhere else (see: Miami Open). Some players base their entire season around the US Open, showing up looking half-dead everywhere else. It's genuinely fun to be where the players actually want to be.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
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Sardines. Shoulder to shoulder. Everyone and their mom. Everyone and their dog? How many more metaphors do we need? The US Open is packed to a horrifying, over-capacity degree that would make a fire marshal call their mother. Walking around the grounds, getting into Arthur Ashe, doing essentially anything you'd expect to do peacefully at a tennis tournament becomes a nerve-fraying nightmare thanks to the sheer density of humans sardined into every available inch of space.
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We all know attending sports events or concerts isn’t cheap, but the US Open takes it to another level. In recent years, ticket prices have skyrocketed, celebrity sightings have multiplied, and retail shops have taken over the grounds. Even local New Yorkers (hi!) struggle to snag a ticket. An AMEX pre-sale won’t make a $300+ grounds pass feel reasonable when you just spent $50–$100 at the Cincinnati Open. No tips here. If you want to go, start saving now, and maybe skip asking friends and family for birthday presents this year.
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I'd venture to say that 80% of the people at the US Open don't know how to keep score. And that's fine — we love new fans of the sport — but it's not okay when those attendees are making zero effort to engage with what's actually happening on court. The US Open is a mandatory block on the calendars of those "New Yorkers" who live here from ages 22-29, dutifully buying overpriced tickets for the sole purpose of Instagram content. This often results in abysmal etiquette, most notably the low, ever-present buzz in Arthur Ashe that feels less like a tennis tournament and more like you're sitting inside a small engine repair shop.
#5
INDIAN WELLS
So-called “Tennis Paradise” has lost any right it once had to that distinction.
Indian Wells looks the part. Desert mountains, golden light, a stadium that glows at sunset. From a distance, it’s flawless. The glamour fades closer up.
Indian Wells is coasting on legacy from 10-15 years ago. What (I’m sure) used to feel like pinnacle of tennis experience now feels fragmented, paywalled, and insultingly disconnected from the sport itself.
It would be too simple to say Indian Wells has prioritized money and only caters to those with five figures to spend — what has happened is it has shifted its core consumer profile away from those who are interested in the sport. The result is one of the most dismal slots on the tour calendar for those who dare to be interested.
The title “Tennis Paradise” is up for grabs. Can Indian Wells reclaim it?
Attended: 2026WHAT WE LIKE
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Still elite. Great rake, sightlines, built for big matches. One of the few places here that delivers.
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The desert does a lot of heavy lifting. It’s beautiful, distinct, and carries the experience further than the tournament itself does.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
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Not literally everything, but enough that it starts to feel that way. Indian Wells gets the experience so wrong, leaving you to work harder than you should just to watch tennis.
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Turning Stadium 2 into a ticketed court breaks the flow. One stadium sits half-empty while the outer courts become overcrowded and difficult to enjoy. It’s a self-inflicted imbalance.
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This should be the best part of the tournament. Instead: overcrowded bleachers, inconsistent ushering, and a general sense of chaos.
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No WiFi. No service. Broken water stations. Bathrooms that desperately need cleaning. These all seem simple but can truly shape your entire day.
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Who is this for? It’s unclear. It’s not built for diehard fans, and it’s not fully delivering as a luxury experience either.