David Massey: “A historic edition for the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters.”
During the final press conference of the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, tournament director David Massey drew an enthusiastic balance: “We are on the verge of breaking our record once more. We will surpass the historic milestone of 150,000 spectators,” he announced. A turnout that testifies to the growing strength of the tournament, which remains one of the circuit’s most beloved events.
Massey stressed the importance of the expansion of the site, with the introduction of the new Village des joueurs: “We have enlarged the site by 35 percent, creating what I believe is the best players’ village in the world for tennis.” A change welcomed by the athletes, who now travel with real teams: “The players come with coaches, physical trainers, physiotherapists… it’s a bit like a Formula 1 driver, with a whole team in tow.”
Among the most notable innovations is the introduction of electronic refereeing. “We were the first Masters 1000 on clay to implement the ELC Live system, with the collaboration of Hawk-Eye,” explained Massey, emphasizing the historic significance of the move. “We have always valued line judges, but at the ATP’s request we have embraced this transition, also integrating artificial intelligence.”
The director did not hide his excitement about a possible triumph for the home favorite: “Romain had match points last year…if he wins today, he would be the first player from Monaco to triumph here. It would be something historic.”
On future prospects, Massey confirmed plans for expansion, but with longer timelines: “We have ideas to develop the site further, but it will take two or three years before they are visible.” The goal is also to improve the audience experience: “We are now satisfied with the player spaces, so the focus will be on welcoming fans.”
On the possible introduction of a women’s tournament, he clarified, “There are no concrete plans at the moment, but we are open to the idea. If it is ever done, it will be a combined event.” However, he strongly defended the current format: “Our nine-day model works. We have a 56-player scoreboard and competitive matches from the first round.”
Finally, to those who asked about possible changes in the ATP calendar, Massey wryly replied, “Better to turn the question over to the ATP,” while acknowledging that “longer tournaments, like Indian Wells and Miami, have offered more tennis to more spectators.”
With a smile, he concluded, “If we are able to repeat an edition like this again next year, it will already be an extraordinary achievement for us and the whole team.”
Carlo Galati
