Australian Open 2025

[MARTINE]

Happy New Year to everyone.
For those interested in tennis is time for AO 2025. Its a great time of year in the city, sliding into that fun post festivities summertime vibe.
I have been going since (mumbles into her hand) it was at Kooyong.
I hope the AFFers at Melbourne Park have a great time whatever event they attend.
Have so many great memories
…seeing Roger beat Rafa in the 2017 Final
… Lleytons last match
… seeing Rafa win the 2022 final (complete with court invasion by a protester)

As we took our daughter since she was in primary school we now have special times with her (now 30) and SIL

We are going to start of fourth round this year in the middle weekend with them.

What are your special memories from Australian Open?

 

[Flyfrequently]

And new year greetings to you also @MARTINE
Ahh, the AO holds many great memories, often not being able to locate our car in the MCG carpark at the end of a long day with tired Flyfrequently offspring in tow!

I also always went in the last week with a dear friend, sitting in the same seats every year.

In 1994, she had 4 "passes". I couldn't go as I was on duty, so Mr Flyfrequently and offspring went with her.....turned out they were Media passes, great seats, access to press conferences and up close and personal.......

Enjoy !

 

[rbjhan]

Just got back from Alcaraz 1st round match on MCA...

 

[MARTINE]

Just got back from Alcaraz 1st round match on MCA...

View attachment 426121

Nick was a total letdown (expected really with lack of form)

 

[SCM]

Going to Melbourne now, going to catch week one's action, I think it's better due to the ground passes, and a bunch of stadium games most nights.

Bit of a bucket list thing, pretty excited to go.

 

[rbjhan]

Nick was a total letdown (expected really with lack of form)

There are many things I can say about him, none of it is good. So I shall be polite here....

 

[MARTINE]

Going to Melbourne now, going to catch week one's action, I think it's better due to the ground passes, and a bunch of stadium games most nights.

Bit of a bucket list thing, pretty excited to go.

Have a wonderful time. There is such a buzz about the place. AO app is one of the best I have used and very helpful.
Have fun!

 

[Pushka]

Nick was a total letdown (expected really with lack of form)

He looked totally spent from very early on. The world of tennis fitness has moved on during his two years out of it.

 

[albatross710]

Did anyone buy any of the AO NFT offerings from 22 23? AO Presser here

latest media It turns out NFTs of tennis balls that sold for $3 million aren't worth much after all and I just died of not-surprise

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Did anyone buy any of the AO NFT offerings from 22 23? AO Presser here

latest media It turns out NFTs of tennis balls that sold for $3 million aren't worth much after all and I just died of not-surprise

Never realized that this existed. A very interesting read. Thanks for sharing the link

 

[chitown_boy]

Most memorable moment was def seeing Nadal in 2022 (I think? or maybe 2021 I forget…memories are blurry around that period in Melbourne) and scoring some really cheap tickets. If I recall correctly it was the year we were just coming out of our last lockdown and rules around 50% capacity? So you could buy a cheap nosebleed seat in the back and move to the front row as soon as the match started !

The other memorable moment - well shall we say infamous - was the Djokovic emergency court appearance streamed live and subsequent deportation and seeing him relegated to having to use the underwhelming Marhaba lounge at MEL airport on the day he was deported cos everything else was still closed and all the drama around tennis players allowed to enter Aus and not our own citizens…juxtaposed against some tennis players complaining about their lockdown hotel conditions, which really irked a large swathe of Melburnians….wow really brings back memories of Melbourne at that time…and the boo-ing of a pre-VA Jayne Hrdlicka at the finals trophy ceremony…

I’m off to see a sold out Benson Boone show at an AO music event in the final week this year …

 

[frodo]

I haven't been ever since the ticketing tiers was changed a number of years ago.

It used to be that the whole upper half of Rod Laver Arena was classified as the cheapest tier so there were decent seats to be had around halfway up for around $120-130 per session for the middle weekend.

With the increase in prices and the retirement of the (majority of) previous generation of players, I find myself following tennis a lot less than I used to as I just do not resonate with the new generation of players.

Favourite moments were watching Federer in person in 2016 and also watching a 5 set epic between Djokovic and Wawrinka in 2013 (12-10 to Djokovic in the 5th, match finished at 1.40am).