Remember when Atlanta hosted the Atlanta Open? Those were good times—top-tier professional tennis right in our backyard. Well, that tournament may be gone, but something way more exciting is about to take its place. Meet INTENNSE, a revolutionary new professional tennis league launching in Atlanta this June that’s nothing like tennis you’ve ever seen before.
Why Atlanta Is Perfect For Tennis’s Comeback
“Atlanta is the launch place for Intennse because Atlanta is the tennis capital of the world,” says CEO Charles Allen. That might sound bold, but Atlanta has always had incredible tennis culture. We just needed the right professional tennis to come back home. INTENNSE isn’t trying to replace what we lost—it’s creating something entirely new.
Tennis, But Make It Fast And Fun
Forget everything you know about watching tennis. INTENNSE matches are played in three, 10-minute intervals called “bolts.” No more sitting through three-hour matches where half the time is spent bouncing balls.
“It’s non-stop action. We’ve changed the format. Of course you play the point, it’s the same point, same ball, same net, same court. But everything around it is different,” Allen explains.
Ready for this? You can make substitutions during a tennis match. Yeah, tennis now has subs. “If someone’s just getting a little bit tired, or if someone has a lot a momentum, you can put them in,” explains former UGA tennis player Trent Bryde, who’s now playing in the league.
But there’s more: 14 seconds between points, one serve only, live coaching allowed, and no rules about crowd noise. “There’s no rules, nothing really applies… Just by heckling, screaming. It just makes it like more fun, entertaining for everyone,” Bryde says.
The Arena That Changes Everything
The INTENNSE Arena is located inside Electric Owl Studios in Decatur, GA—a 20,000 square foot, fully climate-controlled space with double-decker and end zone seating that puts fans at court level. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the cool lighting and double-decker seating. This isn’t your country club tennis venue—it’s designed for the Instagram generation that wants to be part of the action.
The Teams And Format
The league features three teams with six players each: three men and three women, representing Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Tampa. The talent is legit—they’ve recruited players from across the country, like Michaela Gordon who played tennis at Stanford University.
Why This Matters
INTENNSE is “athlete-first,” giving players “unparalleled support, branding opportunities, and a platform to grow their legacies.” Traditional tennis has been tough for players outside the top 50 globally. This league creates opportunities for talented players to actually make a living.
Plus, the league’s focus centers on fostering deep connections with local communities rather than just dropping in for a week and leaving.
Get In On The Action
Matches start the weekend of June 20-22 and the season runs through August. It’s a short inaugural season, but this is clearly just the beginning of something bigger.
Atlanta lost the Atlanta Open, but we might be getting something way better in return. INTENNSE isn’t recreating traditional tennis—it’s creating the future of tennis, and it’s happening right here in our backyard. This could be one of those “I was there when it started” moments.
Get tickets at intennse.com and be part of tennis history.