Why is winning Canada-Cincinnati not as famous as Sunshine Double?

Rafael Nadal has won the Canada-Cincinnati but has failed to complete the Sunshine Double.

The Sunshine Double in tennis is a commendable feat achieved by the player after winning the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open titles in the same year. It is often seen as one of the rarest achievements in tennis, as only seven ATP players and four WTA stars have completed it.

Apart from that, only two tennis players have managed to repeat the feat in two consecutive years. Roger Federer did it two years in a row in 2005 and 2006, while Novak Djokovic did it three years in a row from 2014 to 2016.

The Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open are played in different conditions. There is a significant difference in the surface and climate conditions in Miami and Indian Wells. Both Masters are played on opposite coasts and time zones on different surfaces with different balls.

In addition to that, without indoor courts, the climate plays a crucial role in the tournament. The matches are played in hot and humid conditions, and the temperature in the states of Florida and California rises around 35 degrees Celsius in March.

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Moreover, during the 90s, the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open were the only two-week tournaments outside of the Majors. Playing in hot conditions is always a vigorous challenge for tennis players because the spot is extremely physical, which also demands an elite mentality.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Open is the oldest tennis tournament apart from Grand Slams. The tournament was established in 1881. On the other side, the Cincinnati Open was established in 1899. The two tournaments take place in North America, and the climate is quite similar in Canada as well as the United States.

Also, both tournaments are played in one week. In addition to that, the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters have fewer players in their main draw of both, singles and doubles, as compared to the Sunshine Double, which are the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open.

Both tournaments of the Sunshine Double offer seven rounds, while only six rounds are played in the Cincinnati Masters and the Canadian Open. In simple terms, the Miami Open and the Indian Wells Masters are played like a Grand Slam on two different coasts, while the Canada-Cincinnati double is exactly the opposite.

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