Monte Carlo Tennis and the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel

If you get bored with the tennis and I'm sure you won't, turn around and you have a view of the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel.

In the smaller photo - and furthest away - you can see the centre court stands where the biggest matches take place.

Monte Carlo Tennis - Perfection on Clay

When the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters is on, the clay courts must be perfect. Here the older man shows the younger man how it is done.

Tennis Balls!

Casino Square is full of tennis balls!

Yesterday was the first day of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters. Rafael Nadal is defending his title - a title he's won 5 times already. Djokovic is here. Andy Murray has a wild card. As always it should be great tennis in a fabulous setting.

Monte Carlo Tennis - Ready to go!

The first shot shows some of the hospitality tents and the smaller courts with the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel and Restaurant La Vigie in the background.

Below (click to enlarge) you can see the Centre Court with its rows of tiered seating, with the Monte Carlo Bay Resort Hotel in the background.

These photos were taken on the 5th April - a very grey day. Today, happily the sun shines on the players.

Tomorrow - back to the Jardin Exotique. For more Monte Carlo tennis, turn on the television!

The Tennis Ball Flower

In the centre of the roundabout that forms the eastern boundary of Monaco and France, is a display of Tennis Ball Flowers - the tournament itself is just a few yards from here.

Yesterday, Nadal and Murray hit a few balls for the crowd in front of the Palais Princier on le Rocher. Click on the link to see the photograph from NIce-Matin this morning.

The Tennis Players and the Cyclist

It's tennis, big time, in Monaco with the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters which started yesterday. Nadal has won the Masters in Monte Carlo every year since 2005 - will he win again?

The cyclist riding past is a reminder that the Tour de France comes to Monaco in early July - the first time since 1964.

Note: We have left the Jardin Exotique for a day or so only.

Anyone for tennis?

Taken from just above the Monte Carlo Country Club (home of the Monte Carlo Masters Series) the Principality of Monaco lies to the right of the photograph. You can see Monaco's newest hotel, the Monte Carlo Bay Resort, standing on the small promontory.

Advertised as 'the most beautiful tennis club in the world,' I don't think they are far wrong, do you? Here you see a father playing tennis with his son, the Mediterranean in all its beauty, below.

Masters Series Monte Carlo Tennis

The qualifying rounds for the Monte Carlo Tennis Open began today. On the way back from the Monaco Dog Show, which is at the opposite end of Monaco to the tennis courts, I stopped on the road above to grab this photograph. The Centre Court where the finals are always played, is below the white tented area.
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