Memories from Montreal: Tennis Tour Guide Canada

The Old Port of Montreal

Traveling for Tennis is how I discover Joy, Adventure, and Cultural Diversity.

Fans and players alike can enjoy the city and culture of all the international destinations, especially one so close to the USA.

Visiting Montreal for the Candian Masters had been on my bucket list for many years. I remember a very frosty Toronto during Christmas as a teenager through Buffalo, and then most recently had the pleasure of touring Vancouver the year prior byway of Seattle by train.

Montreal in the peak of summer seemed is the perfect escape from a hot, humid East Coast for relief. I visiting anytime between July and October. A vibrant, historic city to explore even outside of tennis.

US Open layover

On the way to Montreal, I had a short layover at LGA (US Open). This was the same flight path I took in 2010 on a Monday after work to catch the US Open Final.

After an epic rain delay, I and several hardcore tennis fans stayed overnight in the airport in order to witness the epic conclusion of Nadal capturing his career slam.

That year's finale between Nadal and Djokovic was not fully shown in its entirety, as its conclusion clashed with the NFL's Monday Night Football opener in America. Some of my untelevised memories of a lifetime.

Flying next to a Pilot

On this most recent trip, I had the fortune of sitting next to and chatting up a young pilot on my small plane up from DCA to YUL via LGA.

She told me about a "positive space" policy or flying deadhead for work, where fellow airline pilots can sit in the highest class, unoccupied seats available! We chatted a bit about favorite international destinations, best/worst airports, and our ways of flying friends for free.

I arrived at the US/Canada terminal - my 2nd time in just a few months. The previous long layover was when returning from Europe. At that time, I had not had the pleasure to go out to see the city of Montreal (plus it was still cold in May).

• On media assignment, I had spent a week at the Barcelona 500
• My 2nd leg was a few days in Mallorca, Spain with Rafa and Uncle Toni at their Academy
• The final leg was a short hop to Switzerland for a 1-day visit to Basel (an hommage to Federer).
  

When faced with at least 4 hours of time, I typically make an attempt to make a "layover sprint" to collect a few memories, photos, and enjoy a warm local meal outside of the airport.

Canadian Masters - The Premier Visit

August 2019: I was thrilled to be accepted again as a Media Journalist and Photographer for coverage at the Canadian Masters 1000. Always excited to make plans to see international tennis and new destinations.

The press staff was very nice, courteous, and professional to me as a first-timer - an exemplary example of friendly and inviting Canadian culture.

This was also a very historic year - the tournament's 40th anniversary with the original tournament director plus a special ceremony featuring Rafa Nadal and Amelie Mauresmo in attendance.

For Tennis Canada, this is their US Open pinnacle moment. Stars such as Shapovalov, Raonic, Pospisil, and Bouchard are heroes to their fans like the NHL stars.

Now with Grand Slam winners Andreescu (US Open Champ) and bright talents like Felix (FAA) in the top 20, it's a very bright and exciting time for young Canadian tennis fans.

HD Tennis Photos from the Montreal Masters

Culture and colors of the IGA tennis stadium

A beautiful Canadian city. I found young people picnicking on the grass, soaking in the sun's summer rays for a few brief weeks in the summer.

Completely immersed in French culture from the bi-lingual signage to strangers asking if you speak English or French before addressing you.

Little Italy

The "Little Italy" neighborhood a very quaint little village rectangle just a short walk from the tournament site. Cute boutique shops with public markets like Jean-Talon plus old churches and murals dot the way to the tournament.

Airbnb accommodations

"When in Rome..."

I wanted to experience traditional Montreal for a few days.

I always prefer to be within walking distance of the tournament site and go car-less. Just take Uber when I must and take some public transportation like the locals. A very walkable city indeed!

Complete with a full kitchen, patio, and a full vinyl collection of record in the living room. The apartment was a duplex on the middle floor.

The wooden floors creak a bit of their age from many cold and hot periods, but it was a very traditional Montreal home.

The Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of Quebec

If attending the Montreal Masters, I recommend going out to site-see during the morning. Then for the tennis tourists, enjoying a bit of tennis during the afternoon. Finally, one can alternate an evening stroll by Old Montreal with catching an evening tennis match or authentic meal (players like me on a diet must try hard to avoid the tempting cheezy but savory Poutine snack).

With so much to do, it is advisable to spend at least 2-3 days to soak it all in.

Mont-Royal is a must-see when you first arrive, but be sure to start at the TOP (via Uber) and walk down from the summit. Many made the arduous mistake of climbing up in the other direction during mid-day sun which is quite a hike.

If it gets too warm, Pointe-à-Callière, the History Underground Museum is a perfect place to cool off or just beyond the tennis grounds, one can enjoy the rare summer picnics out at the grassy parks nearby.

On a nice weekend, check out the Jean-Talon Market or take a longer trek through Chinatown. Within walking distance is the prestigious McGill University. It is nearby the waterfront and great for enjoying culinary delights (more photos below). A small Japanese friendship botanical garden is also not far away.

My Ranking of Top Montreal Sights for Tennis Fans to Explore

1. Mont-Royal
2. Vieux-Montreal (Old Montreal) and Waterfront
3. Notre-Dame Basilica
4. Historic Underground - Pointe-à-Callière
5. Jean-Talon Public Marketplace
6. Chinatown

Mont-Royal Overlook

Mont-Royal offers an impressive view of the entire skyline and city. The giant cross at the summit is a very historic monument symbolizing that it survived a great flood that almost destroyed the city.

Dating back to its founding roots, the city represents a peaceful unification of the French with the various surrounding Native American tribes.

 

The 1976 Olympic stadium site still stands large in the distance. Fans are very big supporters of their Montreal Canadians or Habs fans - "Les Habitants". The original settlers from the 17th century.

Vieux-Montreal (Old Montreal) and Waterfront

A beautiful sunset destination. The spacious boardwalk, the yacht club, and European Architecture abound. It's all wrapped together with a summer carnival-like atmosphere at night near the water.

Notre-Dame Basilica

A city of grand churches, this one is the centerpiece for Montreal.

A quick tip: I recommend visitors have Canadian dollars ready before entering. There's a steeper 50% exchange rate if you provide them US greenbacks. Take a respectful walk around inside and appreciate the beautiful stained glass art. If you're really lucky to come at the right time in the morning, you can be present for one of their majestic services.

Pointe-à-Callière (History Museum)

This historic underground museum was another hidden gem I would definitely recommend checking out.

Every 15-30 minutes, the virtual stage tour gives the audience a very memorable multimedia experience showing off the rich eclectic history of this city.

As you climb down through the lower levels of the catacombs, it reveals the rich preserved layers of Montreal's past.

It's a very interactive experience and great for the whole family. Allow at least 2 hours to go through all the areas and try to sit on the left side of the stage to exit quickly to the main exhibits.

The Mont-Royal Cross we saw earlier is the centerpiece in a video near the last exit.

Tam Tam Drummers - performances every Sunday at Mont-Royal. One of them rode the metro back home and I noticed his signature beads and well-aged instrument. It is a great community of musicians and fans in the public space.

On Sunday, the African Tam Tam drummers
performed their music in the parks

McGill Univerity -
One of the best colleges in Canada

Jean-Talon Public Market

Walking distance to the Tennis Stadium, this public market is a charming area to go for a nice breakfast before the first match.

Be sure to try a few locally grown farmers' goods to buy as snacks or to cook later.

Plenty of flowers and wide open stalls of anything one could want to check out in a public square market. Lovely to walk through and see the children on their way with parents to school.

Chinatown - Food Tour and Art Murals

Delicious. A good place to go when you're hungry. I booked a food tour and was pleasantly surprised even though I've been to many Chinatowns in the world before.

The Road Toward Rafa's Renaissance

Years have passed since my first summer tennis tour of Europe. Updated in 2020, after Rafa's 20th GS. The memories are still warm.

On this self-guided five-city tennis journey, I flew to Spain, France, and Great Britain to retrace the footsteps of the tennis legend and my personal hero - Rafael Nadal. Along the way, I discover many wonderful cultures and met individuals from all walks of life, all of whom celebrating tennis.

I've had some time now to reflect and recollect my thoughts and memories from my experience.  It was a colorful journey, sharing the road with many friendly characters helping me along the way. Hopefully, my story will inspire you as Rafa has helped inspire me in life.

"We always talk, speculate, dream or maybe even playfully plan about these adventures - but how often do you meet someone who has followed it through in their lifetime and talked about it..."

        

From the red crushed clay of Roland Garros to the freshly mowed lawns of Wimbledon - the boundless empire of tennis stretches. Spanning three countries (Spain, France, UK) with all her tennis territories united together in glorious victory by Rafa, less than a year earlier. 

When seeking the Wise Man atop the mountain - you end up learning more from climbing up that mountain than you ever would from meeting the wise man.

I sought out in an ambitious quest to pay homage to the Nadal Kingdom of Tennis.  This presented an appealing opportunity to see a "Summer in Europe" - centered around tennis, was too good to pass up.

Pictures of Nadal vs Federer at the Madrid Masters 1000

Summer 2019 Update:
I was able to visit Rafael Nadal at his home island of Mallorca for 3 days! I met Uncle Toni and Naomi Osaka for the first time on the same trip.

Part 1: Madrid, Spain

Madrid, Spain

To truly understand someone I knew, could only be done by walking in his shoes...only by sweating on the same soil as the young master. First, it was to the Spanish capital of Madrid. A land of bull rings, beautiful open parks, lots of artists, and Gothic-style buildings from another era.

Being my first time venturing to Europe, I was both anxious and excited - unsure about the language barriers and not knowing what to expect as an American traveling solo in Europe, but excited to be immersed in a new world of tennis, art, and culture.

ATP Masters 1000 on Clay

The Madrid Masters, was oddly the first-ever ATP Masters 1000 level event I had ever attended even though 3 of them are in the USA. The facility was brand new, designed around the Caja Magica (Magic Box) that has a close-able roof and surrounded by water. The metallic seats give a very airy feel, but the echos of that place when Rafa is on-court is like a soccer match.

Caja Magica (Magic Box) in Madrid Spain

The previous day's Semi-Finals was the longest ever 3 set match in Professional Tennis History at the time. Pitting Rafael Nadal against Novak Djokovic 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (9). I still remember the yelling and cheering and celebrations that went on nearly 20-25 minutes after the last point. Truly an epic. The next day, it was the classic battle - Nadal vs Federer, on clay.

Luckily, I had found 1 single ticket left buried on the online system, and I wisely reserved it in advance. Fans and friends had anticipated this match-up for weeks! I was very fortunate and excited...probably only one of a non-Spainards in that stadium.

Even a Crown Prince of Spain had come to pay tribute to the huge sporting event!

If Tennis were a religion, this trip would be the Holy Pilgrimage every true tennis fan must invoke at least once in your life...

Finding myself with a few weeks between career moves and motivated by a newfound sense of freedom, I set off to see it all but little more than a week with just a rough idea and a tennis dream to plan it all out...

Part 2: Barcelona, Spain

Later, I enrolled for a week alongside other tennis professionals at his former Academy of the Sanchez-Casal in Barcelona for a week. Thereby seeing the life of other young rising juniors could I truly begin to understand how he grew up.

That was where his talents were nurtured to yield his genius, his style, his influences, and development as a player starting out.

The Sanchez-Casal Academy had been featured on Tennis Channel as the premier tennis facility in Europe. I really wanted to go see for myself. After all, the red clay was where most of the great champions had started and Barcelona is just a terrific beach city for young people.

Pictures from inside the Sanchez-Casal Academy - training on the court next to that year's French Open champion.

The camp was located a few kilometers away from my hotel, so every morning I would walk across the main highway and trek down a small road next to a river. This is where students and the local academy bus would pick up and drop off the kids. At the main intersection was the city bus that would take people to the city.

Inside the Academy were acres and acres of Red Clay tennis courts! I had never seen so many before in one place before. Kids as young as 4-5 years old were busy swatting away as their coaches would hand-feed them. A few years later, I would take the coaches program back in the USA at Naples Florida.

For lunch, we would enter the same dining halls as young students. Many of them were teenagers, sent overseas by their parents to train there. Andy Murray's mom had sent Andy there for a few years and helped him develop his patience for the clay, which in turn improved his defense and footwork...a key reason for his win at the US Open and finally Wimbledon.

As you exit the lunchroom, you see overhead the glass frame of the Davis Cup final victory of Spain.

Spanish Davis Cup Jersey - the origin of Nadal's glory, where all of Spain and the rest of the world learned of his name.

After the morning private lessons and workouts. In the afternoon after lunch, I would train with the Spanish Coach (Daniel "Dani" Sorribas). He was the junior coach of Argentina's Canas when he was little, Dani told me. The drills were designed to emphasize footwork and improving dynamic movement, rather than simply racket technique or swing motion that they do in the US.


The 13 drills are laid out very specifically for "X" "V" on the court, and swing volley patterns within the court. Rapid hand acceleration and stamina burning exercises are the norms here. If there was one thing I remember, it was the advice: "Save your feet for tomorrow", Dani said...I knew I would need it!

Overcoming the pedestrian fear of Travel and exploring the World

It seems that every year around this time late in the Spring as the weather is becoming just warm enough to go outside in the morning without a sweater, the idea of travel comes to my mind.

Specifically, it is the idea is seeing the French and Wimbledon grand slams together.  At first, I always envisioned this to take place on the honeymoon trip (Paris / London) or take a leisurely drive on the Autobahn with a factory-ordered BMW.

Over the years, this tennis idea takes many different shapes and forms as in a daydream floating around like a feather on a light summer breeze...re-animated just the slightest whenever there is another exciting ATP event is televised on the air. 

 

But whether it was work or family or other earthly commitments - something more urgent always seemed to always brush aside these well-intended notions; "Europe is too far", "You don't have enough vacation days", "The exchange rate for the Euro is bad this year" - the fears and reality would talk me down like Icarus and his paper wings...not too high now.  Whatever it was, there's always one excuse or another that was able to hold me back.

What surprised me was it took a short monologue on the season finale of "Amazing Race 14"  to trigger the epiphany that would eventually allow me to overcome these previous seemingly un-scalable mountains of time, distance, and price.  It was like Destiny calling through the DVR in replay mode...the timing and relevance were uncanny:

   

"My entire life, I felt like I've done what was expected of me - what was the right thing to do.
This was my opportunity to do something that everyone thinks is a crazy thing to do. And I'm just so grateful! I come out of it feeling there are no sort of "walls" or "rules" in terms of what we have to be.
What's been enlightening to me in the race is you can have a lot of fun! - just doing the crazy, unexpected, and completely unconventional; and it makes life sorta interesting."

- Victor Jih (winner of the Amazing Race season 14) 

So I thought to myself, well if not this year, then you'll wait for another - then another, then another..."So if not now, then when?", I asked myself. How much longer will Rafa and Federer still be competing for 5-sets to win championships in epic fashion. Will you get another chance to go see Nadal on clay if you don't go now?

Damn the torpedoes...I'm going to go for it!

You should too before you get too old to enjoy the adventures of life, remember to live it once.

Plan for it well in advance if you want to maximize your enjoyment but make the leap.

Blog it, selfie it, capture it, share it, but at least you will know that you went for your dreams.

Part 3 - Paris, France...my journey continues at Roland Garros

Editors' note:

My goal is to try to help others in their 20's and 30's plan a tennis vacation of your own.

Travel in Europe is quite affordable by air and staying at AirBnB's can make your stay even more authentic as you learn about the cultures from the natives of Spain, France, England etc.

Read more about my Tennis Travels.

The Roadmap to Rafa - Summer in Europe

• Prologue: The Journey Begins with a Dream...
  
• Madrid, Spain (Mutua Madrid Open): Nadal vs Federer Final on Clay
• Barcelona (Sanchez-Casal Academy): Training next to a French Open Champion
• Paris (French Open): I sat 3 rows behind Rafa
• London (Wimbledon): Church on Grass
• Rome (Italian Open + Vatican): the Soul of Tennis People

One Tennis Pilgrimage - sharing my own chapters...from the modern gospel of Tennis.
Stories from this Tennis Player's "Camino de Santiago" trail.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the places and moments that take our breath away."
- Anonymous