Often said the Truist Atlanta Open is a party, and a tennis match breaks out. Entertainment is always top priority when it comes to planning each year's tournament. Let's take a look back at the top highlights of off-court moments that thrill fans in between matches.
1. Bands and Music - Tennis and music might be the perfect combination. With past performers from the likes of the Commodores, Yacht Rock Review, Purple Reign (Prince Tribute Band), Locash, and even The Bryan Brothers Band, great tunes are never in short supply around the tournament grounds.
2. 1996 Atlanta Olympics Memories - The 2016 event was 20 years removed from the 1996 Atlanta Games. Coca-Cola helped bring in past Olympics artifacts and former Olympians like Nancy Kerrigan, Amanda Bead and Gail Devers to make it a special week at Atlantic Station.
3. First Use of Digital Sideboards in the U.S. - The Truist Atlanta Open was the first tennis tournament to incorporate digital sidewalls into the Stadium Court in the U.S. The digital walls helped improve fan engagement and the fan experience throughout the event.
4. Wolfpack Ninjas - Fans and special guests were able to test their skills on a real Ninja obstacle course just outside the Stadium Court.
5. Waffle Eating Contest - With Atlanta being the headquarters of Waffle House restaurants, what better way to spend a few minutes between matches in 2019 than watch hungry college kids in a waffle eating contest?
6. Celeb Appearances - It's no secret that celebs from all walks of life are tennis fans. Over the years, the likes of Dominique Wilkins, soccer star Josef Martinez, The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters, actor/singer Tyrese Gibson, and others have turned out to watch great tennis.
7. First Drone Went Up Over a Tennis Match - It is believed that our Atlanta event was the first tennis event to showcase shots from a drone.
8. College Night - The Truist Atlanta Open was the first and remains one of only two professional tennis events with a dedicated "College Night" where a deserving college player gets to face an ATP Tour pro on Stadium Court.
9. Flash Mob - The Truist Atlanta Open has been the site of two impromptu flash mobs over the years, including one surprising the entire venue with lines people and a chair umpire.
10. Snow Delay - In 2012, a snow delay hit Atlantic Station. A daytime session was halted when a Coca-Cola activation producing snow flakes to cool off patrons sent snow flakes down to Stadium Court. While it wasn't "blizzard like conditions," it did cause a slight pause in play as the snowflakes melted.
