The thrilling chase — autographs and selfies at tennis tournaments

I've watched many a tennis match with good friends at pro tournaments. When the match is over, I'm ready to dissect the results. I look over for some analysis... and, they're gone. Off to get an autograph to add to the collection. Sometimes, it's their kids pulling them away. But, more often, it's the lure of an adrenaline rush — the thrill of the chase.

ATP Tour recently featured an article, Signatures and Selfies, that dives into this phenomenon in pro tennis. They sat down with a a number of top ATP pros to get their thoughts on this time-honored tradition. In turn, the pros shared some fascinating anecdotes from their own unique perspective.

Above: Lorenzo Musetti takes selfies with fans at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers. Photo credit: Mike Lawrence/ ATP Tour.

According to Stefano Tsitsipas, "It's a beautiful thing to witness when you see a kid’s face light up when he gets an autograph. It sort of reminds me of myself when I was younger and it makes you appreciate the impact of something small that [creates] a big impact."

Alex de Minaur thinks the idea of pre-signing memorabilia defeats the purpose. He says, "I think ultimately the fans enjoy the actual experience of asking and receiving in the moment. I think for the fans it's definitely better if you can go out and sign their ball on that day."

For Taylor Fritz, he employs a specific protocol when signing autographs. He explains, "I definitely always want to make sure I get all of the kids, because I was once one of those kids that wanted to get the autographs. I knew how much it meant to me when someone did sign, so I am always trying to get the kids."

Above: Taylor Fritz signs autographs and takes selfies at the Waterdrop booth at the Delray Beach Open. YouTube: Delray Beach Open.

As a kid, Jannik Sinner recalls chasing down Roger Federer for a selfie. He explains, "I once asked Roger for a picture in Monte-Carlo... I was only a fan. He was there to practice and so I waited for quite a while until he came out of the court and then finally we took a picture."

Alexander Zverev recalls a surprising experience. He says, "It’s actually funny, because when Federer and I played the exhibition tour in South America, we both signed one guy's arm and he came back the next day and had a tattoo!"

In the end, the ATP Tour explains the phenomenon from the fan-perspective: "Fans will queue at a jam-packed practice court or hit the exits early during a match, just to put themself in prime position to add another signature to their oversized tennis ball."

Nevertheless, "it's more than Sharpie ink gracing paper or a fuzzy yellow ball. It's the thrill of seeing your favorite player [up close]... For a moment, you feel a personal connection with a star you've only seen on TV."

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Source: ATP Tour. Top photo: Stan Wawrinka takes a selfie with fans (Photo credit: Jared Wickerham/ ATP Tour).