The passion of the crowds. The praises to the victor. And the chants of the believers. You can easily see how the fans can seem like devotees of a religion. But such is the nature of sporting events and tennis finds no exceptions to the rule. For the players, the fans are an essential part of the game, and they are expected to rally behind their man. It used to be that the game of tennis had the quiet and subdued sounds reflecting the need for deep concentration and little distraction on the part of the players. Now, fan noise and boisterous excitement are to be expected and can change the very outcome of the match. Nowhere is this more evident than when facing your opponent and the crowds in Paris or New York! It takes more than a calm demeanor to face a player determined to defeat you and the crowd standing behind their man.

Here we have two smaller events on the ATP 500 tour. The events are played in the capital city of Vienna and Doha. They are among my favorite events to attend because of attendance size and the big names that they draw.  So, if you are in Vienna in fall, skip Oktoberfest and head over to the Marx Halle to see great tennis and perhaps, meet a player!

Ah the French crowd! The biggest supporters of the underdog. The bane of most players who are not French and who happen to be drawn against their countryman. And finally, the best crowd with quick slogans or the revolutionary, "La Marseillaise". You gotta love em! Well, that is if you are not Martina Hinggis who was reduced to tears at the 1999 finals of the French Open after losing to a crowd very pro-Steffi Graf who was coming to the end of her illustrious career!

This is where it all started for me – at the US Open! Of the majors, it is perhaps the loudest and most exciting. It also seems to draw the biggest names in entertainment and government. You do not have to look hard to find a familiar face in the crowd who just dropped in to catch one of the top-seeded players at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It is also an event where player must learn to navigate the fans. Lose their respect and it could be over! Win it and you are given the keys to the city as well as to the hearts of the fans.

Certainly, Wimbledon is the oldest of the grand slams and the most prestigious in terms of traditions, grounds and player's consensus. Wimbledon is finally catching up to the use of modern technology for line calling as well as play on the middle Sunday. Nevertheless, it still maintains that air of elitism in the tennis world and sports in general. And for all those fans desiring to enjoy the games at Wimbledon – it is expanding! With a proposed additional 39 courts and an 8,000 seat stadium slated to all be completed by 2030!