January · Victoria · Melbourne
Australian Open (Tennis)
Two weeks of Grand Slam tennis at Melbourne Park.
The first Grand Slam of the tennis calendar takes over Melbourne Park for the last fortnight of January, with more than 800,000 spectators over the two weeks.
The Australian Open is the first of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments of the year and runs for two weeks from mid-January to early February at Melbourne Park, a few minutes walk from the Melbourne CBD. The tournament has been held in Melbourne since 1905 and has grown into one of the largest sports events in the southern hemisphere, with more than 800,000 spectators across the two weeks.
The three main show courts (Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena) all have retractable roofs, which means play continues during Melbourne's notoriously variable January weather. Ground pass tickets are often available for under 100 dollars and give access to more than a dozen outer courts where the early rounds are played.
Melbourne turns into a tennis city for the duration. Accommodation spikes, restaurants in the South Yarra, Richmond and CBD precincts fill up, and free events run in Federation Square including the famous Grand Slam Oval outdoor big-screen viewing.
While you are there
