The Australian Open: Then and Now

By Kelley Busby

When I finally touched down in Melbourne, Australia, I quickly dropped my bags off at the lovely Pullman Hotel and only had 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 Bay Area home is a mind‑boggling 19 hours behind Melbourne – we entirely skipped January 20 — and the huge actual gap in time since I was last here in 1994, it was all a bit disorienting.

If the buzz in 1994 was lively, today it’s simply off the charts. Part of it is due to record crowds, with droves of tennis lovers drawn to the Happy Slam’s warmth- both feel of the tournament as well as the weather. As Tournament Director Craig Tiley recently put it, “It wasn’t long ago the Australian Open was generally the fourth cousin of the four Grand Slams and it was barely even that.” Even retired legends like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi are traveling across the globe to join in the fun vibe.

As opposed to 1994, when there were three stadium courts, fans can now watch their favorite pros on six stadium courts, and choose from a lot more than typical stadium fare like burgers and fries. Now, there’s offerings from around the world, from Vietnamese bowls and Lebanese charcoal chicken to Peach Melbourne soft serve and souvlaki. In 1994, the press was offered champagne at 5 o-clock at their desks. Now, there’s dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces and we can choose from beer, wine and appetizers, all while live music plays. Not a bad working environment at all.

In 1994, the Australian Open was played at Flinders Park- it was renamed in 1996 – and the fan experience was much more modest and the event was far more focused on the sport itself. Pete Sampras won his first of two Australian Open titles that year, and Steffi Graf wiped out 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 vying for their first AO titles in order to complete a career Grand Slam and neither have even reached a final here yet. As Tiley justifiably says, the event “pretty much 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!