Montréal, the city New York could be without its bankers, is filled with music, art, exquisite food and locals taking advantage of their terraces the second the snows clear. It’s my hometown, and I’m biased, but even casual visitors understand that joy and indulgence are its main values. Summer is one long festival—and amidst all the culture, the best tennis players in the world touch down at the National Bank Open during a prominent part of the North American hardcourt swing.
Since the early aughts, Montréal has become known for its giant, vivid public art—notably in the form of murals—thanks to two local festivals focused on the art form, lending an open-air museum quality to the city. And for the past three years, thanks to Tennis Montréal, those worlds are now joined.