When I finally arrived in Melbourne, Australia, I quickly dropped my bags off at the beautiful Pullman Hotel and had only about an eight-minute walk to Melbourne Park for my first return visit to the Australian Open in 32 years. Between the jet lag – my home in the Bay Area is a mind-boggling 19 hours behind Melbourne – we skipped January 20th entirely – and the huge time difference since I was last here in 1994, it was all a bit disorienting.
While the buzz was still alive in 1994, today it is simply off the charts. Part of that is down to record attendance, with large numbers of tennis fans drawn by the warmth of the Happy Slam, both the feel of the tournament and the weather. As tournament director Craig Tiley recently put it: “It wasn’t that long ago that the Australian Open was generally the fourth cousin of the four Grand Slams, and that was hardly the case.” Even retired legends like it Roger FedererRafael Nadal and Andre Agassi travel around the world to join in the fun atmosphere.
Unlike 1994, when there were three stadium courts, fans can now watch their favorite pros on six stadium courts and choose from much more than typical stadium fare like burgers and fries. Now there is a selection from all over the world, from Vietnamese bowls and Lebanese charcoal chicken to Peach Melbourne soft serve ice cream and souvlaki. In 1994, the press was offered champagne at their desk at 5 p.m. Now there are dedicated indoor and outdoor areas and we can choose from beer, wine and snacks, while live music plays. Not a bad working environment at all.
In 1994 the Australian Open was played at Flinders Park – its name was changed in 1996 – and the fan experience was much more modest and the event much more focused on the sport itself. Pete Sampras won his first of two Australian Open titles that year, and Steffi Graf defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6–2, 6–0 in the women’s final, marking her fourth AO title and 15th major. Who knows who will take home the trophies this year. Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are battling for their first AO titles to complete a Grand Slam career and neither has even reached a final here yet. As Tiley rightly says, the event “largely owns January” and has cemented its place as a multifaceted global spectacle enjoyed by more people than any other slam. It certainly feels like the place to be right now!
#Australian #Open