Some of the world’s top tennis players are competing this week in the first Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic.
Kyle Ross, the tournament director, said players will be using the tournament, which is taking place Tuesday through Thursday, as a warm for the U.S. Open.
But unlike the U.S. Open, Ross said the Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic lets spectators get an intimate view of world class tennis.
“It's the antithesis of the U.S. Open. You sit in the seats and it's a 2,500 person stadium,” Ross said.
Ross said even if you don’t know much about tennis, watching world-class athletes is a special opportunity.
“You hear the sneaker squeaks on the court,” Ross said. “A lot of people don't realize that when the ball is in the air, coming off a pro-players racket, it actually makes a little whistle as it spins, just with the rpms of the ball. You see the movement and the athleticism and the court coverage of these world class athletes… I think this tournament, even if you're not a tennis fan yet, I think a couple hours in the seats would turn you into one.”
This first year, the Stowe Mountain Lodge Classic is just a men’s tournament, but Ross said they hope to add a women’s tournament in the future.
Ross spoke to VPR's Mitch Wertlieb. Listen to the full conversation above.
