TENN360 | THE FAN'S GUIDE TO THE TOUR
tennis is more than the score.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Tour
ITF
Date of event
11-31 Jan 2027
Location
Melbourne
Surface
Hard outdoor
Website
Singles Title
C Alcaraz/E Rybakina
Doubles Title
C Harrison N Skupski/Z Shuai E Mertens
Level
Grand Slam
TENN360 INSIGHT:
The Australian Open is the Grand Slam that feels like a holiday.
Big tennis, blue skies, enormous crowds, live music, food, drinks and thousands of people wandering around Melbourne Park looking for their next match.
It is serious tennis wrapped in a summer festival.
And then there is Melbourne itself — brilliant coffee, great food, trams, sport everywhere you look and a city that seems perfectly comfortable hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
The tennis is obviously the reason you come.
But the atmosphere is why you remember it.
If money is no object, Rod Laver Arena is the obvious choice for the biggest matches.
But if you're asking me where I'd actually want to sit?
I'd choose a lower-level side-on seat rather than going for the very top of the stadium.
You want to feel close enough to see the players' expressions and movement while still having a good view of the entire court.
Margaret Court Arena is another excellent option.
And don't overlook John Cain Arena.
It has a much more intimate atmosphere and can produce some of the loudest crowds in Melbourne Park.
For a first visit, though, I'd probably split the experience:
One day with a great reserved seat.
Another with a Ground Pass.
Because the Australian Open is not just one stadium.
It's an entire tennis world.
Very good.
And this is where I'd tell you not to spend the entire day in the big arenas.
The practice courts can be fantastic.
The AO's Village, for example, sits close to Courts 16 and 17 and has shaded viewing platforms specifically designed to let fans watch the world's best players practising.
That is exactly where I'd go.
Arrive early.
Check the practice schedule.
Find a good spot.
And watch.
You may be standing only metres away from a player you've just watched on Centre Court.
You won't get that feeling from the back row of a 15,000-seat stadium.
I'd go if you want the full Grand Slam experience.
There is simply nothing quite like walking into Melbourne Park during the Australian Open.
You can watch a future champion on an outside court in the morning, sit in a packed arena in the afternoon and then find yourself listening to live music with a drink in your hand that evening.
I'd also go if you're travelling with friends or family.
There is enough happening around the tennis that not everyone has to be obsessed with the sport.
And if you are obsessed with tennis?
Well.
You're going to need a very large battery for your phone.
There is simply too much to photograph.
I'd buy a Ground Pass at least once.
Yes, Rod Laver Arena is the dream.
But spending an entire day moving around Melbourne Park is one of the best ways to experience the Australian Open.
Go to a practice court.
Watch a match on an outside court.
Pop into John Cain Arena or Kia Arena.
Then wander off again.
The AO now has dedicated fan areas including The Village, Grand Slam Oval, Garden Square and TOPCOURT, so there is plenty happening when you aren't watching a match. And don't try to see everything.
You can't.
Melbourne Park is enormous.
Pick a court, watch a few games, wander somewhere else and allow yourself to stumble across something brilliant.
That's the fun of it.
Oh, absolutely.
This is Australian summer and Melbourne Park can get seriously hot.
The good news is that Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena have retractable roofs, while Melbourne Arena can also provide protection when required.
But if you're spending the day wandering between outdoor courts, you are very much at the mercy of the Australian sun.
Sunscreen.
Hat.
Sunglasses.
Water.
And shade whenever you can find it.
The AO has added shaded viewing areas around the precinct, including The Village, which makes a long day considerably more manageable.
And if the temperature becomes ridiculous?
Go inside.
There will always be another match.
Excellent.
Do not drive unless you have a very good reason.
Melbourne Park is extremely well connected, with Flinders Street, Richmond and Jolimont stations all serving the surrounding area, plus trams and pedestrian routes into the precinct.
The AO also provides special transport arrangements during the tournament. For example, AO ticket holders have free travel on the Route 70/70a trams during the event period.
And there is another lovely option.
Walk from the city.
The pedestrian route from Flinders Street through Birrarung Marr brings you straight towards Melbourne Park.
So you can have breakfast in the city, walk to the tennis and spend the whole day there without ever needing a car.
Which is exactly how I'd do it.
I'd skip it if you're looking for a quiet, intimate tennis tournament.
This is the opposite.
Melbourne Park gets busy.
Very busy.
There are queues, crowds, security checks, lots of walking and plenty of noise.
I'd also skip it if you want to see one particular player guaranteed to play.
Even at a Grand Slam, draws change, players withdraw and matches don't always happen when you want them to.
And don't underestimate the size of the place.
You can easily spend half your day walking between courts.
Comfortable shoes are not optional.
Power in Numbers
128
Single Draws
15,000
Centre court seat
39
Courts