The Australian Open is the place to be each summer, according to many Australian celebrities.
From soaking up the electric atmosphere to witnessing the world’s best tennis players in action, there are many different reasons why Aussie entertainers and media personalities love being part of the crowd at Melbourne Park.
So, what is the best part of the Australian Open?
We asked the following celebrities to tell us.
Joel Creasey, comedian and radio host: “The best part of the Australian Open is the vibe! The atmosphere! Melbourne does events like no other capital city in the world. And having lived in and all over the United States I don’t say that lightly. And as a comic you’d be hard pressed for me to not say the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. But an aperol spritz in the sun walking around the Australian Open hearing the pop of tennis balls knocking back and forth across the net … I’m not sure if it can be beaten?!”
Emma Watkins, children’s entertainer: “The best part of the Australian Open is the camaraderie amongst the players and the feeling of summertime watching the tennis with your family.”
Samantha Jade, singer and actress: “The best part of the Australian Open is getting to see the best players in the world play in our country.”
Tania Doko, musician and Bachelor Girl lead singer: “The best part of the Australian Open is the excitement! I think it’s the rock and roll of sport. To me, it’s almost like a show. It’s dynamic. There’s highs and lows. Heart ache. I feel that tennis players always wear their hearts on their sleeves. It really is the rock and roll of all sporting events.”
Darren McMullen, actor and television presenter: “The best part of the Australian Open is the whole city of Melbourne is absolutely buzzing. It’s a great time to be in the city, everybody for those two weeks becomes almost as tennis mad as I am!”
Maria Thattil, former Miss Universe Australia: “The best part of the Australian Open is camaraderie, healthy competition and watching world-class athletes battle it out on Aussie courts.”
READ MORE: Aussie sporting champions reveal why they love the AO
Shaynna Blaze, television personality: “The best part of the Australian Open is watching so many champions from day one. You can see people at their peak on so many courts. I love the AO’s festival vibe. Tennis is such a singular sport but the festival vibe around the AO enhances everyone’s engagement with the matches.”
Brooke Blurton, reality television favourite: “The best part of the Australian Open is the vibe of going to the tennis and making a day of it. It is also very unpredictable. You never know how long a match can go for or what the outcome will be.”