Gstaad – Sonego and Collignon showcase the fan benefit of the 250

I just came from the Swiss second-round match between Lorenzo Sonego and Raphael Collignon. If you are a new fan or take a casual/passing interest in tennis, you probably don’t know those players. Collignon is from Belgium and ranked No. 42 in the world, Italy’s Sonego sits at No. 83. Five years ago, Sonego was the world No. 21. This is the way at ATP 250 tournaments. The draw is filled with up-and-coming players trying to build their ranking, former top players trying to do the same, and a few current headliners trying to maintain theirs.

Put a different way, 250 events feature a subset of highly motivated players. Ranking doesn’t tell the whole story. A promising young player from the host country might be ranked in the 200s and play like they’re top 50…because they WILL be top 50. A player like Stefanos Tsitsipas is ranked 85th in the world, but you just know simmering under the surface is the player that made the final of the French Open in 2021.

The Sonego-Collignon match was a good one — a competitive, high-quality affair that even featured a few crowd-pleasing missiles from Sonego. It made me think about how I wish potential fans were introduced to the sport at these kinds of events rather than an early-round Carlos Alcaraz beatdown at the U.S. Open.

I understand that the popularity of tennis lives or dies on the shoulders of a handful of superstars with the “it” factor. You might have no idea who Lorenzo Sonego is, but I bet you know Novak Djokovic. Thus, it’s entirely reasonable that you might take the opportunity to snag a more inexpensive ticket to the first round of the U.S. Open to see him. The problem is that what you see when you do is not tennis at its best. It’s just a drubbing. Like putting a welterweight in the boxing ring with a heavyweight. Two punches and the match is over.

Sure, you got to see Djokovic play in real life. But you walk away thinking “my GOD that was dull.” And you go back to football (either kind) or hockey. I’m not knocking the Djoker. There is certainly appeal in watching a genius apply his craft in front of you…but it doesn’t grab you and pull you in. A good tennis match requires input from both players. Like today’s match.

If you don’t normally follow tennis, I would encourage you to find a 250 event near you and give it a try. You might end up with a story to tell. I saw both Ben Shelton and Jannik Sinner at the 2021 edition of the Atlanta Open, a now-defunct event unwisely nestled in the deep south during the hottest part of summer. Shelton was still a college student at the University of Florida and Sinner ranked in the mid-20s. I knew they both “had it” the moment I saw them play.

The ATP has been slicing away at 250s to make way for longer Masters events (that’s a different inflammatory article for a different day), but they’re still out there. The setting is far more intimate, the players more accessible, and it’s more affordable. I still like Masters events and Slams. I go to a selection of them each year. Then again, I am a seasoned fan and professional. I know exactly what I’m going to get from each experience.

Slams are frenetic, all the big names are there, and the cost is prohibitive (see previous point). I know for certain that the best matches are going to take place on the outside courts…so that’s where I plant myself. Masters events have become increasingly Slam-like, though slightly less crazy and usually less expensive. I want to say that you can’t go wrong at any of them, but truthfully you can. Stargazing leads to lopsided matches and ultimately disappointment.

Give the little guys a shot. You never know when you’re going to find a diamond in the rough.