The Australian Open is considering a groundbreaking Saturday start to the tournament, driven by record-breaking attendance figures and a surge in tennis popularity. While some crowd behavior issues have marred the event's reputation, organizers are prioritizing fan experience and exploring options to extend the tournament to 16 days.
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley is exploring the possibility of a groundbreaking Saturday start to the Melbourne Park grand slam, fueled by the tournament's record-breaking attendance. Over 1.1 million spectators thronged the 2025 Open, shattering previous records and injecting a significant financial boost into both Tennis Australia and the Victorian government.
Despite some instances of unruly crowd behavior that have cast a shadow over the tournament's reputation, Tiley has indicated that organizers are contemplating extending the event to 16 days in the future. The shift to a Sunday start in 2024 has paved the way for a potential Saturday debut, promising three full weekends of main-draw action for the billion-dollar spectacle, solidifying its position as the premier event on the annual Australian sporting calendar. 'We wouldn't make any decisions without carefully considering the impact on both players and fans, but there's an undeniable hunger in Australia for more tennis,' Tiley shared with AAP at Melbourne Park. 'We're witnessing growth across the board - more children taking up the sport, more people joining clubs, more adults playing. 'Sales of racquets and balls have soared to unprecedented levels.' We're experiencing a genuine boom in tennis, and more people are eager to purchase tickets to witness the action firsthand. That's what we're striving for.' The Australian Open, with its 11am starts and early-morning finishes, is rapidly aligning itself with the US Open in New York as the grand slam that never sleeps. The inclusion of the qualifying tournament and exhibition matches a week prior suggests that the AO could evolve into the grand slam that never stops. 'We're prioritizing the fan experience and aim to provide them with even more,' Tiley stated, addressing concerns regarding some fans' disruptive behavior that threatened the tournament's reputation as the 'Happy Slam.' The booing of Novak Djokovic following the 10-time champion's injury-forced withdrawal from his semi-final against Alexander Zverev, and the offensive remarks directed towards Danielle Collins during her second-round victory over Australian Destanee Aiava, were among the regrettable incidents. 'There will always be a small minority who create an unpleasant atmosphere for others; that's simply human nature,' Tiley acknowledged. 'I'm not overly concerned about crowd behavior. We've seen record attendance figures. The vast majority - 99.9 percent of fans - have behaved impeccably. 'I'm more focused on the sheer number of fans who are enjoying themselves and the palpable energy that pervades the event. It's at an all-time high. 'Therefore, we won't design an event that stifles enthusiasm, because the next question from the fans would be, 'Why aren't we having fun?
Australian Open Tennis Attendance Saturday Start Craig Tiley Crowd Behavior
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