Why, for Me, The Rogers Cup Isn't About Tennis

It happens every year in August. The world’s best tennis players descend in Toronto and Montreal for eight days of amazing competition. Alternating year to year, men's and women’s tournaments are held consecutively in Toronto and Montreal.

I am at the tournament every year, as I have been for the last four years. I spend the week on the grounds, watching world-class players at what is truly a world-class event. I have gotten up close and personal with some of the players. Last year, Daniel Nestor said hello to me and Denis Shapovalov nearly walked right into me. Milos Raonic walked right past me. This year, I shared a stairway with Serena Williams. Her coach nodded at me.

I did not get any of their autographs. I’m not allowed. Besides, I’m not that big a tennis fan. I mean, I like the sport and can play it fairly well, but if it isn’t the Williams sisters, Naomi Osaka or Sloane Stephens, I don’t really know who the players are.

So why, you might ask, do I spend an entire week at a tennis tournament if I’m not even that big a fan? How, and why, do I get so up close and personal with tennis players if I’m not autograph seeking?

The answer is simple.

I’m a volunteer. I love the hustle and bustle of the tournament. I love watching these world-class players. I live watching a qualifier who may not even be seeded make it to the semi-finals, upsetting a fan favourite.

I also love my volunteer committee. I work in pass control. We also monitor the outside courts throughout the week.

The week of the tournament is like going to camp for me. I get to see people I haven’t seen all year and catch up with them and what they and their families have been up to. Every day I get to meet someone new on our committee.

This year, I met a new volunteer who came all the way from Hong Kong to volunteer. One of our volunteers comes from Brazil! Our New York volunteer skipped this year because—gasp—he got married this spring and apparently volunteering isn’t a romantic honeymoon (insert sarcastic font here).

Tennis Canada takes very good care of us, volunteers. Our uniforms are provided for us at no cost. Not even a deposit (looking at you, Fan Expo and your $50 deposit for a t-shirt!!). Our uniforms are made by Fila. Meals are provided and usually, they are pretty good (this year though—TOO MUCH CHICKEN!). We get access to a world-class event, also at no cost, and are provided tickets to either use ourselves or to pass on to friends or family. This year I even got suite level tickets. Every session ticket I got, I was scheduled to work. So I gave them all away.

This year, I was also elected as one of 12 team captains. This meant more work, lots of walking (I did more than 8.5 kilometers in one day) and actually, a lot LESS tennis. But I got to meet and talk to so many more volunteers than I did as a regular volunteer. I got to know some of them quite well and learned so much about our older volunteers.

But wait, you might be saying now. You haven’t mentioned how you get so up close to the players.

One of the perks of pass control is, if you’re a strong volunteer, you can get assigned to the “basement.” Which sounds dreary and punitive. It’s actually one of the best rotations. In that rotation, you’re at the loading docks and the secondary entrance to Centre Court as well as around the corner at the Players Entrance To Center Court and the entrance to the Players’ Lounge. As a captain, I have access to different areas that I didn’t have before. So on my way in one evening from checking on my outside rotation volunteers, I shared the staircase with Serena Williams. She was heading down to the players' entrance and I was heading upstairs to the volunteer lounge. Last year, I was on the basement rotation near the players' entrance when Daniel Nestor said hello to me. I was outside the players' lounge when Denis Shapovalov nearly knocked me over and was on an “inside rotation” that’s actually outside, allowing players, volunteers and staff access to the back of the house, when Milos walked by me.

But all the tennis star run-ins pales in comparison to the committee. The people who make up the committee are people I consider friends—even if the only time I see them is at the tournament. Everyone has an amazing sense of humor and we have had amazing and deep conversations during downtimes (like when you literally have to babysit an empty court 'just in case').

This is what I come for every year. The camaraderie of my committee, catching up with people I only talk to on social media through the year because they live in different countries, and helping make a world-class event stay world-class.

Next year Toronto hosts the men’s tournament after the Olympics.

I wonder who I’ll bump into.