MONTREAL – Nearly three decades after Jarry Park was transformed into a tennis complex, the Montreal home of the National Bank Open is once again facing pressure to modernize its facilities.
ATP CEO Eno Polo believes Centre Court is in need of a significant facelift, particularly as the tournament seeks to remain competitive with other Masters 1000 events around the world.
“Centre Court could definitely be modernized,” Polo said during a recent roundtable with select media members. He pointed not only to the stadium itself, but also to video screens, sponsor areas, suites and the overall experience surrounding the tennis.
Polo, who became ATP CEO last September, made his first visit to Montreal as part of a personal commitment to attend all Masters 1000 tournaments in person during his first year in the role.
The visits form part of the ATP’s OneVision strategy, which aims to identify opportunities to grow tennis, improve the fan experience and generate long-term value for players, tournaments and commercial partners across the tour.
For Polo, seeing tournaments firsthand is essential to understanding how they operate.
“It’s important for me to be (here) because that’s where you really learn what’s happening,” he said, explaining that meeting fans, players and tournament organizers provides direct feedback that cannot be obtained remotely.
He even said he prefers using the main entrance rather than the VIP entrance because it gives him a better sense of the experience ordinary spectators encounter.
Montreal facility showing its age
Polo praised several elements of the Montreal tournament, including its fan village, player lounge and the convenient location of the players’ downtown hotel.
But he also acknowledged that the age of the stadium is becoming increasingly noticeable, particularly when Montreal is compared with other Masters 1000 venues that have undergone major investments.
Cincinnati, for example, invested US$260 million to redevelop its facilities ahead of last year’s tournament.
Polo compared the situation to owning a house for two decades without renovating it, only to visit a neighbour who has just spent half a million dollars upgrading theirs.
The comments come as Tennis Canada works on plans to modernize the IGA Stadium site. The proposed project includes a new 15,000-seat Centre Court equipped with a retractable roof, along with additional practice and match-ready courts.
Polo welcomed the proposed development, while recognizing that a project of such scale cannot be completed quickly.
“These projects don’t happen overnight and we understand that,” he said.
He added that the ATP supports Tennis Canada and the Montreal organizers’ long-term vision for the site and believes the proposed improvements would move the tournament in the right direction.
“If they’re able to accomplish what they’ve proposed, it would be fantastic,” Polo said.
Bigger stadium could boost Canadian tennis
Beyond improving the spectator experience, Polo said expanding Centre Court could have a direct financial benefit for Tennis Canada.
If sessions are consistently sold out, a larger stadium would allow more spectators to attend, generating additional ticket revenue that could ultimately be reinvested into Canadian tennis.
“If you’re selling out every session, a larger stadium means more tickets sold, more revenue generated, and ultimately more money that can be reinvested into Canadian tennis,” he said.
The issue is becoming more important as the ATP calendar continues to evolve.
The tour will add a 10th Masters 1000 tournament in 2028, when an event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, joins the schedule. Polo said there are no plans to add further Masters 1000 tournaments after that, meaning the existing events must continue improving and adapting.
“Our goal is not to punish tournaments. They’re our members. Our goal is to help our members succeed, not lose them,” Polo said.
Montreal weather adds another challenge
The need for improved infrastructure has also been highlighted by Montreal’s unpredictable summer weather during this year’s tournament.
Rain forced two singles quarterfinals scheduled for Monday night to be postponed until Tuesday afternoon. The tournament has experienced several other weather-related interruptions this week, including the outright cancellation of its opening-night session on Aug. 2.
For Polo, the disruptions illustrate the importance of finding a long-term solution.
“Imagine buying a ticket, leaving work early to attend the evening session, arriving at 6 p.m., and then it rains,” he said. “You end up going home without seeing any tennis. That’s disappointing.”
Only three of the ATP’s current nine Masters 1000 tournaments have Centre Courts equipped with roofs.
Nevertheless, Polo believes Montreal should seriously consider adding one as part of its long-term redevelopment plans.
A retractable roof would not only modernize the venue but also provide greater protection against weather disruptions, helping ensure that spectators, players, broadcasters and tournament organizers can rely on a more consistent event experience.
