Rolex Monte Carlo Masters
Key tips for a perfect MC Masters experience 😎
In brief
The Monte Carlo Masters is perhaps one of the most beautiful ATP 1000 tournaments, set in the iconic Monte Carlo country club and favoured by royals and celebrities. It is of the key clay season tennis events, with 56 players in the singles draws and nearly €6M in prize money. Technically, the tournament is happening in France, not Monaco - it is taking place in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, which is right on the border. Main matches are happening on two biggest courts - Court Rainier III (the center court with 10,200 seats) and Court des Princes.
Essentials
Dates: Early April. The tournament is happening over 9 days, with first two days set aside for qualies.
Weather: Typically rainy around this time, but can also get very hot and sunny during the day. So you need to be ready to dress for any weather. So an umbrella, sunnies and a hat are a must!
App: There is a helpful tournament app that you can download in advance. It allows you to book tickets, check the schedule and scores.
Travel: If coming from abroad, the best airport is Nice, where you can take a train, taxi or Uber (costing around €60 to get near Monaco). The trains are also a good option to get to the Monte Carlo country club from Nice; there is a train stop right next to the club.
Taxi: There is no Uber service in Monaco, but you can use it if your pick-up / drop-off is in France (e.g. if you are travelling from Nice to the courts in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin). There is a local taxi service within Monaco; the cost of a journey from the country tennis club to the centre of Monte Carlo will come up to c. €20.
Accommodation: Best hotels in Monte Carlo to stay during the tournaments are Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort (where the players are staying), Fairmont or Le Méridien; naturally, these can get quite costly during the tournament. The best budget option is to look for accommodation in Beausoleil, which is a walking distance from Monte Carlo.
Tickets and access
There are three types of general (non-hospitality) tickets:
Court Rainier III tickets come with a seat secured on the main court only, where main matches with biggest players take place. Prices will vary depending on the seat category and how close it is to the final. Lodges offer best view and are the most expensive. Majority of the lodges will be reserved for the Monte Carlo country club members and hospitality packages. On some days, you might be able to buy lodge tickets from the office box; if you have choice, go for Lodges A (these come with access to the VIP area). With a Court Rainier III ticket, you can access all general public areas of the country club, including smaller and practice courts, but to access Court des Princes you will need a separate ticket.
Court des Princes tickets come with a seat secured on the CDP court only, plus access to all general public areas of the country club, including smaller and practice courts. During earlier stages of the tournaments, you can catch decent matches on this court, but closer to the finals, all big names will be playing on the main court.
Ground pass tickets are not available to buy online, you can get these from the box office. With these tickets, you get access to all general public areas of the country club, including smaller and practice courts that are on "first come, first served" basis. There will be matches taking place on smaller courts (2, 8, 9, & 11) at the beginning of the tournament, so you can get a good deal with a ground pass ticket.
Hospitality tickets depending on category come with access to the VIP area. Information on booking these tickets is available on the tournament web-site.
We advise that you buy tickets via the official web-site only. Even though tickets are typically selling out fast after official releases, usually official resale tickets become available closer to the dates.
Country club
The club has beautiful grounds with breath-taking views. During the tournaments the premises are naturally very crowded, but it is quite easy to find your way around between watching matches, shopping and grabbing a bite. There are several restaurants and food stands across the club, along with official sports pop-up boutiques, where you can get a tennis racquet, tennis clothes, sun hat or other tournament merch. Get a glass of rose and enjoy!
