The Sunshine Double

Back in Switzerland, with the spring sun shining through, I look back on a three-week trip to the US, featuring one of the nicest tournaments on tour in my opinion. Although the month was challenging in different ways, the level at these ATP Masters 1000 events once again showed why they are the crème de la crème.

Let me take you through the month of March and share a few insights from those weeks.

Just before the calendar turned to March, we boarded our flight from Zurich to Palm Springs. The plan for the trip was simple: Indian Wells, Phoenix, Miami: two ATP 1000s and one 175 Challenger in between.

The journey to the US, however, was anything but simple. If you stay until the end and the Serve & Story, you’ll find out why I was being pushed through the airport in a wheelchair.

To keep things structured and give you a comfortable read, I’ll briefly summarize the sporting side of the trip before diving into some behind-the-scenes details. Stay tuned!

So, looking purely at results, it was a challenging stretch. The level in practice was there, but what was missing was the comfort that comes from having enough match-play in your system. On top of that, the draws didn’t really fall in our favour: strong, confident opponents right from the first rounds. And at that level, the margins are extremely small. One hesitation here or there, and a set can be gone within a blink.

In one way, it’s frustrating to travel that far and not get what you’re working for: wins. But in another way, it’s a necessary reminder. A push to put your head down and keep working - harder, smarter, humble. So much for the results.

Now to the part I’m always a bit more excited to share: behind the scenes. Between the Lines. Some of you may know parts of this already, for others it might be completely new. Let’s start with the basics of such tournaments.

As a participant, you receive an accreditation badge that you carry with you at all times. Without it, you’re not going very far - sooner or later, security will stop you at some door.

On that badge, there is also a daily allowance credited for food. The tournaments provide a player restaurant(s) where you can find pretty much everything: fresh pasta, sushi, juices… all the way to steaks.

Living out of a suitcase usually means laundry becomes a problem. Not here. You can drop your clothes at the laundry station before 6pm, and they’ll be freshly washed and ready for you the next morning at 9am.

Transport always works slightly differently depending on the tournament. At Indian Wells, the top 64 singles players receive a car (BMW or similar – no, not a Lamborghini) for the duration of their stay. Everyone else can request private transport at any time.

Practice scheduling is where things get a bit more complicated. To book a court with just player and coach, you either have to go before 9am or after 5pm, otherwise it’s not allowed. On top of that, you can only book one session for the next day. If you want a second one, you have to wait and book it on the same day. So even if you arrange a practice with another player, you often don’t know the exact time and availability until that same morning. Planning can become… interesting. On the plus side, every session comes with fresh balls. Two new cans per practice, per player. Four cans for one hour - that should do.

But even at the top level of the sport, there are still different categories: big fish, medium fish, small fish. The rules I just mentioned don’t apply to the very top players. They enjoy different conditions. At the end of the day, as sad as it may sound, you are just a number. And the lower that number is, the better your options become.

Besides all of that, the tournaments go a long way to make life easier for players. In Indian Wells, for example, you can request golf vouchers and play a round at the Indian Wells Golf Resort nearby. In Miami, you can get tickets to NBA games or NHL matches.

The vibe of the two Masters events is quite different. Indian Wells is a purpose-built tennis world (named Tennis Paradise) that exists for just the two weeks. Miami, on the other hand, is built around the Hard Rock Stadium. The centre court sits inside the football stadium, and to get to the other courts you’re driven around by golf cart - sometimes even across parts of the F1 track which they are building for the upcoming race in May. It is all one big construction work but I mean… Who would have thought I will ever drive on an F1 track in a golf cart to go to work!? Not me.

So you see, the players and staff at this level are treated incredibly well. But the competition up there is ruthless. If you’re not at your best, you’ll find yourself back on a lower level sooner than you think - golf vouchers not included.

To close off this entry, and the month of March, let’s bring it back to where it all started. Because the whole trip began with me… in a wheelchair.

Serve & Story

The day before our flight, I made a misstep just before practice. It hurt, but strangely enough I was still able to train for two hours afterwards. Once I cooled down, though, it got worse. Much worse. By the evening, I couldn’t stand on it anymore. Not even close. Somehow, the next morning, I managed to limp onto the train that took me to the airport, where I met Leandro. He took one look at me and said: “There’s no way you’re going to make it at the two-hour layover in San Francisco like this. How are you even going to get through border control?” he asked. Good point. So we ordered a wheelchair for arrival. What followed was a full VIP experience I never asked for. I got pushed through the airport for 30 minutes straight, all the way to our next gate. Since Leandro was officially my companion, he could walk alongside me - which meant we skipped the entire border control line and went straight through. Me, still sitting in the wheelchair. Boy did I feel uncomfortable. During the “ride”, we ended up having a long conversation with the guy pushing me. He had been doing that job at the airport for 24 years!! No surprise he greeted every single employee we passed by name. At one point he joked that he wasn’t used to pushing such lightweights like me. No further comment on that.

Insights, updates and stories. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. See you soon back on here and take care until then.