An Undercurrent of Prestige

Despite the undercurrent of ranking points being the important factor in tennis, it seems that prestige still exists even where official tournaments for both the men and women, do not.

While Wimbledon is the granddaddy of Grand Slams (the equivalent to a woman is the perfect black dress- it completes your closet) and the respective tournaments of Queens 

(for men) and Eastbourne (for the lasses) are a part of the ATP and WTA calendars they maintain a sense of importance- something that separate tennis in England from the rest of the world.

In Melbourne, before the Australian Open is underway, the Kooyong Tournament is held the week before hosting eight of the world’s best players. The round up of some of the top ten etc draws in the crowds but makes no difference to their rankings (or that I know of).

Instead, it is considered a warm up with a lovely trophy.

But when watching the AAMI Classic at Kooyong, whether it is the old bleachers that spectators sit on or the flowers at the corner of the court, but there is an aura that comes with this court, and the matches played on it.

It might be the past players who have won here (Including Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi)  but I think its prestige comes from the fact that is different from the proliferation of other tournaments that simultaneously carry on.

To be honest, there are two levels on which tennis seems to be played; and yes one of those might be with a prestige ring to it.