Tennis fans from Hume and Whittlesea and across the the nation and around the world are gearing up for a lively summer at Melbourne Park with the 2024 Australian Open about to begin.
Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson joined Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley at Melbourne Park to mark the countdown towards the season’s first Grand Slam.
The main draw will begin on Sunday, January 14, in an exciting tournament first, kicking off 15 days of elite tennis action.
The 2023 Australian Open saw record attendance with more than 893,000 people streaming through the gates and a further 63,120 attending the qualifying matches during Opening Week bringing total attendances to 902,312 across the 3 weeks. 2024 is set to exceed the record, as Melbourne comes to life again in January.
In addition to watching the world’s best tennis players compete for glory, fans can enjoy a festival atmosphere featuring live music, the best local cuisine, kids’ activities and a range of fun events.
Carrying on from 2023, Opening Week will serve up a three-week festival of sport and entertainment with qualifying matches leading into the main tournament, while giving fans the opportunity to get up close with their favourite tennis stars.
This year, visitors can enjoy the new double-storey AO Courtside Bar overlooking Court six, with capacity to welcome over 400 fans.
The Australian Open continues to grow and attract record attendances annually, creating more than 1700 full-time jobs and contributing over $387 million to Victoria’s economy each year.
Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson said the city will be buzzing for the Australian Open 2024 with huge crowds set to flock to Melbourne Park, providing a welcome boost for Melbourne’s hotels, restaurants bars and small businesses.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said the Australian Open is the biggest sports and entertainment event on the planet in January.
“We can’t wait to welcome fans from around the world, bringing the city and the precinct alive in a three-week celebration of tennis and entertainment,” he said.
