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Tennis

Although popular throughout the country, the home of tennis in Australia is, arguably, Melbourne. Host to the Australian Open, one of only four Grand Slam tournaments played in the world each year, Melbourne comes alive each January when the top-ranked players from around the globe come to town. Contested over fourteen days, the Australian Open venue is Melbourne Park.

Built in 1988 as the new home for the Australian Open, Melbourne Park features two main arenas - Rod Laver Arena, with a seating capacity of 15,000, and Hisense Arena, which can seat over 10,000. Both have retractable roofs, ensuring that matches are not interrupted by inclement weather. There are also three show courts, the main one being Margaret Court Arena, and more than twenty outdoor courts.

For those who would like to watch the Australian Open action but don't want to sit courtside, there's a big screen set up in the grounds of Melbourne Park, where people can sit on the lawn and watch in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Another major tennis event played in Melbourne is the AAMI Classic. An important men's lead-up tournament to the Australian Open, it is played at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in the week prior to the Australian Open. Kooyong was the original home of the Australian Open before the larger Melbourne Park complex was built to accommodate the growing competition.

Melbourne Park also hosts some matches for both the Davis Cup and the women's equivalent, the Fed Cup.

Further information:
- Tennis Australia: www.tennis.com.au
- Australian Open: www.australianopen.com
- AAMI Classic: www.aamiclassic.com.au
- Melbourne Park: www.mopt.com.au