Roland‑Garros NYC watch party felt like a soft launch for the US Open

I attended the inaugural Roland‑Garros NYC Experience in Manhattan's Seaport, hosted by TNT Sports and HBO Max. The event promised to transport fans to Paris and, for a free outing, felt better than watching the tournament on my couch. It also took place the week US Open tickets went on sale, and I noticed several similarities to the New York Grand Slam.

Skyscrapers shaded the viewing area and a breeze from the East River kept things cool while matches streamed on TVs. A tiny demo court sat on a thin cover over cobblestones, which left strings feeling loose and balls nearly flat, so volleys felt closer to pickleball than clay‑court tennis.

Carts handed out cans of strawberry Perrier and sample sunscreen, and waiters offered tiny sandwiches and skewers. The hatmaking station drew the longest line: you could pick a black bucket hat or a baseball cap and choose up to three of five stickers, though a pre‑embroidered TNT Sports logo limited where stickers could go.

United States, Manhattan Seaport

roland-garros, nyc, manhattan seaport, tnt sports, hbo max, us open, demo court, clay court, pickleball, strawberry perrier