Tens of thousands of tennis fans are expected to stay away from the Australian Open on Tuesday as temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius, but the Melbourne Park grand slam has largely been able to insulate itself – physically and commercially – from the effects of extreme heat.
The number of daytime visitors on the heat-affected Saturday was 51,048, a drop of more than 10,000 on the previous and subsequent days, with an even bigger drop expected on Tuesday given the widespread publicity of the Victorian heatwave. Sales of $35 ground passes were slow and security lines appeared shorter than normal shortly after the gates opened at 9am.
Those who are present will also spend less time at the police station. On Saturday, Melbourne Park was largely empty when play resumed shortly after 7pm, leaving food and drink vendors twiddling their thumbs at dinnertime when they would normally be overwhelmed.
Yarra Jones, 20, from Melbourne, arrived with a friend just before 10am, having bought a ground pass a few days ago. They planned to rely on the misters and visit the air-conditioned areas around the main arenas to stay cool, but did not plan to stay all day. “We just figured we would just come for a few hours and then we can leave if it gets too hot,” she said.
Tuesday marks a commercial downturn for the tournament, which remains on track to break attendance and revenue records. Tennis Australia has insurance to cover major disruptions, but Tuesday’s lower-than-expected return – which could cost an estimated $1 million – does not warrant a claim.
Even with declining ticket, food and beverage revenues due to lower attendances, the tournament can still meet its major broadcast, sponsorship and ticket commitments thanks to Melbourne Park’s three indoor arenas. Closing the roof, as happened on Saturday, will drop temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius, allowing play to continue and valuable contracts to be fulfilled.
Michael Coghlan, 80, had traveled to Melbourne from Sydney for the tournament with his wife Marion, having bought tickets for Tuesday’s Rod Laver Arena. “We did a lot of preparation last night, we got some water and put it in the fridge and froze it a little bit, got some other food to save us from getting in and out, and we’re prepared to just stay at Rod Laver Arena for the day,” he said.
They specifically opted for tickets in the shade, but expected the heat stress scale to rise above five, which would result in a suspension on the outdoor courts and a closure of the roof of the main arenas. “I’m sure they’ll close the roof today, so we brought a jumper just in case,” Coghlan said, while Marion added, “I’m getting cold in the air conditioning.”
Officials already made changes on Tuesday to limit the impact of the heat, including delaying the start of the wheelchair tennis draw and allowing ground pass holders into Margaret Court Arena. Ball kids will have fewer rotations and longer recovery times, in addition to their normal access to an air-conditioned lounge with electrolyte-filled icy poles.
There is also ongoing work to make Melbourne Park more comfortable for customers on warm days. “Increasing shade across the area is a priority – we are adding more and more shade every year,” a Tennis Australia spokesperson said.
Major changes this year include increased shade coverage at Grand Slam Oval, a large shade structure between the courtside bar and the ANZ Arena (the old court three), as well as a new shaded ‘highline’ on the second floor providing an elevated view of the outdoor courts.
“We have always talked about having more shade on site, and every year we add more temporary structures to create comfortable places for our fans to enjoy the tennis,” the spokesperson said.
The tournament had also pursued a range of environmental and sustainability initiatives. More than a third of the 120-strong fleet is now fully electric and the remaining vehicles are hybrid. This year, five more electric vehicles were added. The tournament also boasts of being “powered by SEC with 100% renewable electricity products.”
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