Event: Australian Open in Melbourne

Globetrotter
20 Mar 2023 - 2 min read

Last January, Australia hosted the Australian Open in Melbourne. This annual event attracts many tourists to Australia to watch the tournament in person. Learn all there is to know about the Australian Open in this article before you book your trip for the next one!

History of the Australian Open

Australian Open

Source: Shutterstock @Maxisport

The Australian Open, the first of the four annual Grand Slam competitions, is held at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne Park. The Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia organized the sport’s first tournament in 1905 for male players and the first for female players in 1922.

The event moved between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide until 1988, when it was established at the hard courts at Flinders Park (renamed Melbourne Park in 1996).

After professional tennis moved to hard courts in 1988, Wimbledon became the only major grass-court tournament. The enormous distance between Australia and the rest of the world meant that many foreign tennis players were reluctant to compete in the Australian Open before the introduction of jet travel. The competition takes place in January.

What to Expect for the Australian Open

Australian Open

Source: Flickr @themalones

During this time of year, tennis aces from all over the globe converged in Australia for the granddaddy of all Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian Open. The tennis event returned to Victoria in 2023 with the sport’s best stars, such as Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about this year’s Australian Open, from when the main draw began to the schedule of matches. The Australian Open qualifying round was held on January 9, with the main tournament running from January 16 to January 29.

There are 128 players competing in qualifying for 16 spots in the main draw. After several days of the main tournament competition, the qualifying round concluded and the final players who earned their way into the main tournament were determined.

For 2023, the total prize pool for the Australian Open was $76.5 million, up from $71.5 million in 2022. Each winner of the men’s and women’s singles events received $2,975,000, with the runner-up receiving $1,625,000 and the semi-finalist receiving $925,000.

How to Get to Melbourne Park

Australian Open

Source: Shutterstock @f11photo

Melbourne Park, the home of the Australian Open, is located in the heart of Melbourne, Australia. It is easily accessible by public transport, and there are several options available to visitors.

The most convenient way to get to Melbourne Park is by taking the train to Flinders Street Station or Richmond Station. From there, visitors can catch the 70 tram, which will take them directly to Melbourne Park.

Another option is to take the 246 bus, which stops at Swan St/Punt Rd. However, buses can be less frequent and may take longer to reach the destination.

If you’re planning to spend your next holiday in the Land Down Under, the Australian Open is a must. There are also plenty of interesting places to see in Melbourne. You can always create your best traveling moments by booking flights and hotels in Traveloka!

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