TENN360 | THE FAN'S GUIDE TO THE TOUR
tennis is more than the score.
NEXO DALLAS OPEN
Tour
ATP
Date of event
6-14 Feb 2027
Location
Dallas
Surface
Hard indoor
Website
Singles Title
B Shelton
Doubles Title
T Arribage/A Olivetti
Level
250
TENN360 INSIGHT:
The Dallas Open is a 250 with rather more swagger than you might expect.
Played indoors at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, it brings ATP tennis to a venue normally associated with American football and turns it into a surprisingly impressive tennis stadium.
There is a distinctly American feel to the whole thing: big arena, loud crowd, excellent sport infrastructure and plenty of space.
It feels less like a small tournament trying to be important and more like a big sporting event that happens to be tennis.
And Dallas does everything big.
Naturally.
I'd choose a lower-level side-on seat.
The Ford Center is a large venue, but the tennis configuration brings the court forward and creates a proper stadium atmosphere.
Side-on gives you the best view of the court and allows you to appreciate the speed of the indoor game.
If you want atmosphere, though, don't automatically chase the quietest premium seat.
Sit near the passionate fans.
An American tennis crowd can be wonderfully enthusiastic, particularly when a home player is involved.
And for a tournament like Dallas, atmosphere is part of the experience.
Very good.
The indoor setting actually helps here.
Everything is contained within a relatively compact arena environment, and the tournament provides practice opportunities for fans.
I'd arrive early and find out when the top players are practising.
The smaller sessions can be particularly rewarding.
You may be watching a player preparing quietly for their match and then seeing them walk onto the main court a few hours later in front of a packed arena.
That change of scale is one of the pleasures of a smaller ATP tournament.
I'd go if you like big indoor sporting events but don't want the madness of a Grand Slam.
The Dallas Open has a very American sense of occasion.
You get a proper arena, a loud crowd and high-level ATP tennis, but the tournament is still small enough to feel manageable.
I'd also go if you enjoy indoor hard-court tennis.
The conditions are fast and the rallies can be wonderfully aggressive.
And if you're interested in American tennis culture, this is a good one.
The setting at The Star gives it a personality that you simply won't get at a traditional European tennis club.
I'd get there early.
The Ford Center is a proper indoor arena, and there is more going on than just the match printed on your ticket.
Watch practice.
Have a look around.
Find a doubles match.
Then settle in for the main event.
I'd also try to attend at least one evening session.
Indoor tennis under the lights has a completely different personality, and American crowds can make an ATP 250 feel considerably louder than you might expect.
And give yourself time to explore Frisco.
The Star is not just a tennis venue; it is a huge sports and entertainment complex.
You may accidentally spend as much time looking at everything else as you do watching tennis.
Absolutely none.
And this is rather glorious.
The Dallas Open is indoors, so you can forget about sunscreen, hats and spending three hours trying to work out whether your seat is in direct sunlight.
The bigger concern is remembering that it might be considerably colder outside.
Dallas in February can be unpredictable.
So bring a coat.
Fair.
This is the one area where Dallas loses a little ground.
The Ford Center is at The Star in Frisco, north of central Dallas, rather than in the heart of the city.
There is extensive parking around the complex, which makes driving relatively straightforward, but public transport is not as convenient as it is for tournaments such as the Australian Open or Hong Kong Open.
If you're staying nearby, a car or rideshare is the sensible option.
I'd factor the journey into your plans rather than assuming you can simply hop on a train and be there in twenty minutes.
Once you're at The Star, though, everything is easy.
I'd skip it if your idea of a perfect tennis day involves wandering between leafy outdoor courts in the sunshine.
This isn't that.
It's an indoor arena.
I'd also skip it if you're looking for a tournament where the entire city revolves around tennis.
Dallas is huge, and the tournament is based in Frisco rather than central Dallas.
You are going to need to make a little more effort to get around.
And if you're travelling specifically to see one player, as always, wait for the draw.
A name on the entry list is not a legally binding contract.
Power in Numbers
32
Single Draws
7,000
Centre court seat
6
Courts