Rod Laver Arena is being transformed to be ready for players to hit the first balls next week leading into Australian Open 2026.
Monday represented a milestone, with the line marking taking place while the famous Melbourne sign was painted at the end of the court.
Next, the court furniture and LED screens will be installed as players start to arrive in Melbourne and Rod Laver Arena counts down to its bumper program of events during AO Opening Week presented by Herald Sun, beginning Monday 12 January.
This includes the 1 Point Slam Driven by Kia, featuring reigning Grand Slam champions Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff and taking place on Wednesday 14 January.
Rod Laver Arena will also host open practice sessions, blockbuster Opening Week Showdowns, Red Bull Baseline, Kids Tennis Day and the inaugural AO Opening Ceremony, featuring the return of Roger Federer.
Tennis Australia’s Manager of AO Match Operations, Ben Fullerton, said the team had been working around the clock to get Rod Laver Arena ready for tennis action.
“We don’t have a lot of time, it’s a big juggling act,” he said. “We have a two-week maximum to deliver the court ready to play.
“We have a really well-oiled team here and everyone does their part to make it all happen.”
Throughout the year Rod Laver Arena hosts concerts and other entertainment events before beginning the shift into tennis mode each December – a transformation we covered here.
The line painting comes as hundreds of workers around Melbourne Park prepare the site for what will be a huge Australian Open, with the three-week event kicking off with the first day of the qualifying tournament on January 12.
Grand Slam Oval is now nearly complete as is Garden Square, with huge shade structures being installed in both areas.
The finishing touches are being put on corporate hospitality suites in the Riverside Terrace area of Melbourne Park, with a row of luxurious structures set to host hundreds during the tournament.
All the hospitality venues across the Melbourne Park precinct will be open from 12 January.
The AO TOPCOURT precinct is being built at Birrarung Marr as is the AO Ballpark presented by Emirates, with both set to open on that first Monday.
In just a few days works will be complete, and the hundreds of workers can enjoy the fruits of their labour watching as that first ball is hit on Rod Laver Arena – as well as on all the other arenas and outside courts across Melbourne Park.
“Once the players roll you that’s when the real show comes to town,” Fullerton said. “When the first balls are hit the mood really lifts around the place.
“There are lots of guys working some pretty busy hours at the moment.”