18 January 2016
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The stamp celebrates the Monaco Grand Masters, which has been played since 1897
Monaco Post has marked the forthcoming 2016 Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament with a stamp showing a bird's eye view of the tournament venue.
Monaco Post has marked the forthcoming 2016 Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament with a stamp showing a bird's eye view of the tournament venue.
The colourful stamp features an aerial view of the clay tennis courts of the Monte Carlo Masters, with a coastal scene in the background. The Masters is one of Monaco's biggest sporting events, with a history dating back to 1897. The male-only championship became an open event in 1969 and although it doesn't have a mandatory player commitment, it attracts most of the big names in tennis on an annual basis.
Despite its title, the Monte Carlo Masters is not actually played in Monte Carlo itself, but in Roquebrun-Cap-Martin, a commune in France that borders Monte Carlo. The event is held in April and May each year and its most recent star is Spanish player Rafael Nadal who won eight times between 2005 and 2012.
In recent years, Monte Carlo has issued a Masters postage stamp on an annual basis, with previous stamps showing paintings of the clay tennis court, as well as close-ups of tennis players and the watching crowds.
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