A Friday night at Assembly Studios’ soundstage in Doraville feels more like attending a concert than a tennis match. Hip hop blasts through speakers, bright lights flash overhead, seats surround a “stage,” and an emcee urges the crowd to make some noise. A banner hanging nearby declares that the venue is a “no shush zone.” Traditional tennis fans may clutch their pearls, but this isn’t a country club—it’s Intennse, a professional tennis league that turns the sport into high-energy entertainment.
CEO Charles Allen, a lifelong tennis enthusiast, says he and his cofounders felt dissatisfied with some of the more archaic aspects of the sport. “We wanted to make the experience of tennis like other sports,” Allen says.
This means starting and finishing at a set time, creating a raucous environment, and making tennis more of a team-oriented sport. In traditional tennis, coaches are sequestered to the stands and interact with their players from afar. “We bring the coaching character forward and change the narrative,” he says. Starting at $25, tickets are accessible, and with matches held indoors, there won’t be any weather-related cancellations.
The energy extends beyond the atmosphere and into the game itself. To win a match in traditional tennis, a player must win two sets, which are comprised of games and a scoring system that can be difficult for newcomers to follow. For Intennse, matches are divided into 10-minute “bolts” that feature men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Players serve only once instead of twice, and points are counted more simply. At the end of the event, the team with the most points wins.
For player Kate Sharabura, the format is part of the appeal. The Atlanta native has pursued professional tennis since graduating from Georgia Tech two years ago, but according to her, the path hasn’t been easy. “You have to do it yourself, a team isn’t organizing it for you, and you’re traveling internationally,” Sharabura says. “It’s cool to travel, but at the same time, it’s expensive.”
Sharabura’s currently in her second season with Intennse, and beyond the guaranteed salary, she says she relishes the team environment. “It reminds me of college in a way, and that’s something that’s been lacking in other pro tennis tournaments that I’ve played,” Sharabura says. “Intennse brings back the team atmosphere and a bit of energy that I’ve been missing.”
The league’s format lends itself to momentum shifts and crowd participation. On opening night at Assembly Studios, the Outriders took on the Fortune (Sharabura’s team) and the audience was quick to pick favorites. My daughter gleefully rang a cowbell as a Fortune player prepared to serve. “What? I like the ‘red’ team,” she said. And while the atmosphere was loud, the tennis remained high-level with players delivering blistering groundstrokes and powerful serves. The doubles bolts were particularly engaging thanks to the faster pace and impressive volleys.
Whenever the players celebrated with their teammates, it was easy to cheer along with them. “I mean, when you feel the energy, it really is addictive to feel that positive interaction,” Allen says. If opening night was any indication, fans will have no trouble embracing the “no shush” policy.
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Shelby Wisdom
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