Day 2 and the tournament officially came alive.

What felt like the calm before the storm yesterday turned into a packed house, a buzzing fan zone, and a full slate of matches that made this compact indoor event feel big.

Morning Coffee… with Women’s Tennis

I started my day “busy watching women’s tennis” in my Rich Sport tee, locked into Mirra Andreeva vs Victoria Mboko in Doha. Yes, I’m at an ATP event. No, that does not stop me from multitasking across tours.

By the time I got to site, it was about 10:45a. Day sessions start at noon here, so you get this quiet window of clinics and practices before everything ramps up.

Grandstand Is the Move

I will be spending most of my Day 3 on the Grandstand watching the boys from the OFF SEASON.

First up: Ethan Quinn vs Trevor Svajda.

Then: Eliot Spizzirri (wild card into the main draw) vs James Duckworth.

If you’ve been following Off Season, you know this is where my focus has been. I spent a good chunk of yesterday interviewing Ethan and Eliot and filming them practicing together. Now that they’re back in the U.S. for the Spring Swing, we’re continuing to document the journey. It’s a little scrappier this time because I’m filming solo, but I’m excited about what we’re capturing.

We’ll keep building out this Spring Swing chapter.

Yesterday’s Standouts

The tournament had a generational moment early on with Marin Cilic notching his 600th career tour win against Learner Tien. Tien is in his 20s. Cilic is 37. That perspective alone was special to witness.

The night session had serious energy. The Dallas Open is sponsored by BOSS, which also sponsors Taylor Fritz, and they leaned all the way in. Fans were handed BOSS headbands, complete with a “how to wear it” card referencing Fritz’s upside-down headband moment against Novak Djokovic. The brand has embraced it. The crowd did too.

Later in the night, Ben Shelton closed out his match efficiently against Gabriel Diallo after a long day session. I also had a quick chat with Ben about his vlog and how he’s approaching content this season. Always interesting seeing how players are thinking about storytelling alongside competition.

And defending champion Denis Shapovalov looked sharp. Efficient. Focused. He has points to defend and he is playing like it.

The Vibe

Last night, the fan zone was genuinely lively. Music. Kids in serving games. A packed indoor center court. For a “small, cute” tournament, it punches above its weight when the seats fill.

The entire event is still incredibly contained. Center Court, Grandstand, practice courts, and a small outdoor tented fan zone. That’s it. You’re in the bubble once you’re inside. Yesterday it was cold and rainy in Texas, which would have changed everything at an outdoor event. Instead, play rolled on uninterrupted.

I get it, this is not Indian Wells scenery. It’s more Miami Open stadium-within-a-stadium energy. But for what it is, they execute it well.

Should You Come?

If you live in the South and want access to a stacked field in a compact, easy-to-navigate venue, this is a strong option. Especially if you like indoor tennis and close proximity to players.

We’ll keep answering your questions as they come in. I ran a mini Q&A on Instagram and will keep folding those into these dispatches.

Come back tomorrow to see how Day 3 went. We’re just getting started. 🎾

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