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Eager to learn about the biggest tennis stadiums in the world? I’ll be discussing these magnificent structures right here. As I’m sure you know, tennis is a sport played all over the globe. Therefore, these stadiums aren’t concentrated in just one country – or even one continent.
Instead, they are spread all over the place. And if you’ve visited some of the tennis stadiums I’ll be bringing to your attention today, you’ll know just how spectacular they are. If not, make sure you try and get to one of these venues to watch the associated tournaments played there when you can. You won’t regret it!
Back to the point, however, exactly what are the biggest tennis stadiums in the world, where will you find them, and what makes them so special? All of those details are about to be shared, so let’s not waste any more time, and let’s start running through the biggest tennis stadiums in the world right now.
Arthur Ashe Stadium – New York, USA
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I may as well kick off this breakdown of the biggest tennis stadiums with the absolute largest the sport has to offer. Arthur Ashe Stadium is a true monster, and it stands tall and proud against the New York skyline, adding even more magic to the venue. Specifically, this is the main stadium of Flushing Meadows, which hosts the US Open every year in early September.
As for why this is the biggest stadium in our sport, it has a seating capacity of 23,771, which is the most of any other tennis stadium in the world. This stadium was completely renovated in 2016 too, adding a fully retractable roof, which has been a blessing during the tournament ever since.
When it closes, the electric atmosphere of this stadium is just unrivaled too, as the rowdy New York crowd gets into the matches with cheers, screams, and plenty of dancing! However, this spectacular adaptation came with a hefty reconstruction value that cost $550 million.
Indian Wells Tennis Garden – Indian Wells, USA
Several of the biggest tennis stadiums host Grand Slam events, as you probably know already. But the next largest stadium in tennis, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, breaks this trend. That’s precisely why many people refer to Indian Wells, commonly known as the BNP Paribas Open, as the ‘5th Grand Slam in tennis’.
Of course, it helps that the tournament itself is a 1000-level event too, as this brings in the world’s best players to compete in the desert each year. As for the stadium itself, it has a seating capacity of 16,100, making it the second largest tennis stadium in the world – behind Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Thanks to its open design and spectacular backdrop of the California mountains around it, many think it’s one of the most beautiful venues in tennis. And to be perfectly honest, I agree. This has been the case ever since the stadium first opened, which was back in 2000, and the total construction cost was $77 million.
Rotterdam Ahoy – Rotterdam, Netherlands
Based on the capacity of tennis stadiums, the Rotterdam Ahoy Stadium is the third largest in the world. At the time of writing, it has a seating capacity of 15,818, which amazingly, is just a few hundred shy of what the Indian Wells Tennis Garden boasts.
I have to admit, I was surprised at this detail, especially since the Rotterdam Open is just a 500-level tournament – quite different from the 1000-level events and Grand Slams mentioned here. On that note, the Rotterdam Open only serves as an ATP event, which only adds to the surprise that it is third on the list of the biggest tennis stadiums globally.
This is actually a multi-purpose arena too, which is true for some of the other stadiums. So while it serves as a fantastic venue for the Rotterdam Open each year, it’s also used for concerts, music television, and for smaller sporting events too.
Pala Alpitour – Turin, Italy
If you look through my breakdown of the ATP schedule 2024, you’ll see that the End of Year Masters is set to be held in Turin in November. That said, Turin took over from London as the main host for this spectacular event in 2021. And the Pala Alpitour will remain the host stadium until 2025, which is when the contract will either be renewed or moved on to a different location.
This stadium actually follows the same style of Rotterdam Ahoy mentioned above, as it’s a 100% indoor venue. As for its capacity, the latest count is that it can seat 15,667, although I’m sure Djokovic felt like it was more when he faced Sinner twice on this court in 2023! This isn’t just one of the biggest tennis stadiums either; it’s also one of the most modern stadiums.
That’s because it was only built and opened to the public in 2005, and it underwent a major renovation in 2018, turning it into one of Italy’s top indoor venues. However, it didn’t exactly cost a fortune, unlike other stadiums, as the original cost of construction was just €87 million.
Accor Arena – Paris, France
Last but not least, we arrive at the fifth of the biggest tennis stadiums in the world – the Accor Arena. Interestingly, this one beats the main stadium used for Roland Garros in terms of its seating capacity, boasting 15,609 seats for tennis events. Speaking of which, the Accor Arena is an indoor venue that serves as the main court for the Paris Masters.
This is a 1000-level event for the ATP Tour, although the venue doesn’t serve as a host for a WTA Tour event. As for its history, this stadium first opened back in 1984, and it didn’t undergo any renovations or changes until 30 years later. Of course, the renovation project was a huge success, and in my opinion, the atmosphere of this court during the Paris Masters tournament is one of the best in the business.
Does it rival the atmosphere of a packed crowd on Philippe Chatrier during the French Open, however, who’s to say?
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