Tournament director Craig Tiley has emphasised the importance of Australia-based lead-up events to the first Grand Slam of the season, speculating that winners of the Melbourne tournament are likely to come from them.
Amid a busy calendar, the Australian Open boss believes that competitions like the United Cup – “the fifth largest event in the world outside of the four Grand Slams”, Brisbane and Adelaide International are good for business, and beneficial for players serving for silverware in January.
“They get to play,” Tiley says. “They come to Australia for two weeks before they start, they get acclimatised, they get used to this weather – cold, heat, whatever it is – and they know they need to do that.
“Traditionally the players that have gone and played outside of Australia haven’t come and done as well at the Australian Open. So those that are playing in this climate, getting used to it, not having to do all the travelling, have done well.
“And the feedback we get, they all love being here,” Tiley continues. “In fact, a couple of players said to me that, ‘Can’t we just make this six-weeks in Australia, seven-weeks in Australia, everything is in Australia’ because they love it so much.
“We’re proud of what we deliver for the playing group and our fans and we’re in for a big three weeks.”
Speaking on day one of Opening Week, for which ticket sales are up 20 per cent as organisers look to encourage spectators to practice and qualifying matches, making the major a three-week event, Tiley already had a clear idea of who will prevail at Melbourne Park at the end of the month.
He’s backed Alex de Minaur for a strong home showing, and maybe even a place in the men’s singles finals. No Aussie man since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years ago has done that.
“We’ve now got a young group of men, 10, 11 in the top 100 that are doing extremely well. Alex de Minaur is playing the best tennis I’ve seen him play, he’s top 10. He could jump in the finals before you know,” he says.
“It'll depend on the draw a lot, and that will happen in the next few days.”
Tiley favours defending champion Jannik Sinner for the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, even though the Italian skipped the warm-up events.
“It’s hard to go past Jannik Sinner on the men’s side because he’s playing so well,” he says, referencing the Italian’s performance at the Davis Cup.
However, when it comes to the women’s singles, Tiley suggests there is one athlete who could spoil Aryna Sabalenka’s title defence, despite the 26-year-old’s victory at the Brisbane International earlier this month.
“Coco Gauff, I think she’ll do the job,” he says of the young American, who beat five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek at the United Cup.
“She’s playing the best tennis right now. Fortunately, her and Aryna Sabalenka are on course to play the same event. Sabalenka won in Brisbane, she does really well here, but Coco’s gone up a notch.”
The biggest winner of the tournament though will perhaps be the spectators. Tiley wouldn’t be drawn on talk of potential record crowds – his team has advised against it – but he quips the entertainment, restaurants with more than 40 chefs from around the world, bars, marquee food and drink stalls could distract from matches.
“We have Top Court, which is for the next and new generation of fans. DJ, bands, gaming, playing a bit of paddle, pop, beautification,” he says.
“Court 16 and 17 we’ve built entertainment around, so you can stand and have a cocktail, have a drink, get something to eat, look over and watch the best players practise.
“[There’s] A lot more shade on site,” Tiley adds. “This year our goal is to get every seat and every place on site in shade, and we’ve got new shade on show court two as well.
“I’m a little worried this year people aren’t going to go into the stadiums and watch the tennis because there’s so much to do outside!”