Rome is different this year

Anybody notice?

For the first time the ATP and WTA events are taking place simultaneously. In previous years the Women's tournament was played in the week following the Men's. The Fora Italico is a huge complex and has enough courts to accommodate a joint event and becomes the third Masters 1000 (along with Miami and Madrid) to do so. This is a clear indication that the ATP and WTA Tours are now collaborating to raise the profile of Masters 1000 events in an effort to compete with the Slams.

As someone who goes to the tournament every second year I'm all in favour of this. Two women's matches per day on Campo Centrale will bring a welcome bit of variety. Also better value for money as the night session will now have a women's match to follow the men's. The downside is that the women's match is unlikely to finish much before midnight, long after the last bus has gone!

Personally, don't care much for the WTA tour, I have attended Indian Wells 3 or 4 times, and I pick the start of woman's match to make a trek to the bar for a drink or two(sometimes 3). But then again if you enjoy their matches as I know many do more power to you.

WTA is so pathetic at the moment, they are only spoiling ATP by usurping prime spots on central courts.

Hi michael.

I’m afraid I do have a bit of a differing opinion regarding having the men’s and women’s events running simultaneously. I went to Rome last year and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The thing is though, I have absolutely no interest in the women’s game. I guess its whatever rocks your boat, and if you enjoy it, then fine … but women’s tennis doesn’t do anything for me and personally, I don’t want to pay money for a centre court seat that includes women’s matches because I probably wouldn’t want to watch them.

I think joining the two tours is more about the money aspect from the tournament’s point of view because staging the women’s event after the men’s means repeated costs which I doubt are properly re-couped because the women’s game simply does not generate the same audiences as the men’s. Last year that fine stadium was empty even when Serena was playing.

I don’t know the answer, but speaking from a fan’s perspective who only follows the men’s tour, the set up at Rome last year was great. It’s a huge complex, but what I would say is that it was very fan friendly. The new stadium was marvelous and you got good views in comfortable seats wherever you were. Your centre court tickets also got you into Petrangeli court, so it gave you the opportunity to see all the top players whether they played singles or doubles. There were loads of shops there, and large areas set out with tables and chairs for whenever you fancied anything to eat, and there were no rip off food and drink prices.

And from a fan’s perspective, access to the players was great. Once in the complex, you could go to the areas where the players enter and exit, so there are many photo and autograph opportunities, and the practice courts have very public seating areas, so you can just come along to watch the top players. Your view is not inhibited by nets or wire meshing, and Rafa – for instance – walked the line of fans signing after his practice which was great, as he was that accessible. We got to see 3 matches in the day session and 2 at night in the middle stages of the tournament, so it was really good value for money.

Rafa reported yesterday on his Facebook that he practiced at the hotel because he couldn’t have a court, so I would think twice now about going to Rome because if practice sessions are limited, you’re paying for centre court matches that you don’t want to see, all because of the WTA which you don’t follow … it just puts you off, which is a shame, because Rome was such a people’s tournament I thought.

Wooffie, I love Rome and its breath-taking new stadium just as much as you, but I'm more relaxed about it being a joint event than you seem to be. I'm no great fan of women's tennis either but if you attend a Slam event you will inevitably see a women's match which can (if you're lucky) be very entertaining and provide a bit of variety. I'm sure that the organisers will schedule a men's match on Pietrangeli when the women are on Centrale, so people who can't bring themselves to watch the women can simply stroll over there.

I really don't think it is that big an issue -- you cannot let this prevent you going back to Rome!