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==History== <section begin=GrandSlamArticle/> The Australian Open is managed by [[Tennis Australia]], formerly the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA), and was first played at the [[Albert Cricket Ground|Warehouseman's Cricket Ground]] in Melbourne in November [[1905 Australasian Championships|1905]]. The facility, now known as the Albert Reserve Tennis Centre, was a [[grass court]].<ref name=jazzsports>{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzsports.com/tennis-odds-grand-slam-events/australian-open-tennis-odds/australian-open-tennis-history.php |title=Australian Tennis Open History |publisher=Jazzsports |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080130004049/http://www.jazzsports.com/tennis-odds-grand-slam-events/australian-open-tennis-odds/australian-open-tennis-history.php |archive-date=30 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The tournament was first known as the [[Australasia|Australasian]] Championships. It became the [[1927 Australian Championships|Australian Championships in 1927]]. Then, in 1969, it became the Australian Open.<ref name=OfficialHist>{{cite web|url=http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history.html |title=History of the Australian Open – the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific |author=Tristan Foenander |publisher=Australian Open |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120114020/http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history.html |archive-date=20 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Since 1905, it has been staged 110 times in five Australian cities: [[Melbourne]] (66 times), [[Sydney]] (17 times), [[Adelaide]] (15 times), [[Brisbane]] (7 times), [[Perth]] (3 times), and two [[New Zealand]] cities: [[Christchurch]] ([[1906 Australasian Championships|1906]]) and [[Hastings, New Zealand|Hastings]] ([[1912 Australasian Championships|1912]]).<ref name=OfficialHist /> Although it began in 1905, the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) did not designate it a major championship until 1924, following a meeting held in 1923. The tournament committee changed the tournament structure to include seeding at that time.<ref name=majorstatus>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16104993?searchTerm=Tennis|title=Australasian Championships|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|author=Unknown|date=9 November 1923|access-date=19 July 2010|archive-date=30 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030062811/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16104993?searchTerm=Tennis|url-status=live}}</ref> In the period of 1916–1918, no tournament was organised due to [[World War I]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1675205 |title=Tennis Championships. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=29 January 1920 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia |access-date=3 December 2020 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030062811/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1675205 |url-status=live }}</ref> During [[World War II]], the tournament was not held from 1941 to 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/such-was-life/before-it-was-the-australian-open-it-was-the/|title=Before it was the Australian Open it was the…|work=State Library Victoria|author=Kerri|date=27 January 2015|access-date=3 December 2020|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127015220/https://blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/such-was-life/before-it-was-the-australian-open-it-was-the/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1972, it was decided to stage the tournament in [[Melbourne]] each year because it attracted the biggest patronage of any Australian city.<ref name=jazzsports /> The tournament was played at the [[Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club]] from 1972 until its move to the new [[Melbourne Park|Flinders Park]] complex in 1988.<section end=GrandSlamArticle/> The new facilities at Flinders Park were envisaged to meet the demands of a tournament that had outgrown Kooyong's capacity. The move to Flinders Park was an immediate success, with a 90 percent increase in attendance in 1988 (266,436) on the previous year at Kooyong (140,000).<ref name=TheAge>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23049738-5015682,00.html |title=Open began as Aussie closed shop |publisher=[[news.com.au]] |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |author=Frank Cook |date=14 February 2008 |access-date=22 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201114912/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0%2C22049%2C23049738-5015682%2C00.html |archive-date= 1 February 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Because of Australia's geographic remoteness, very few foreign players entered the tournament in the early 20th century. In the 1920s, the trip by ship from Europe to Australia took about 45 days. The first tennis players who came by boat were the US [[Davis Cup]] players in November 1946.<ref name=TheAge/> Even inside Australia, many players could not travel easily. When the tournament was held in Perth, no one from Victoria or New South Wales crossed by train, a distance of about {{Convert|3000|km|mi}} between the east and west coasts. In Christchurch in 1906, of a small field of 10 players, only two Australians attended and the tournament was won by a New Zealander.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=100 |title=Anthony Frederick Wilding "Tony"|publisher=[[International Tennis Hall of Fame]]|access-date=1 February 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182502/http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=100 |archive-date = 30 September 2007}}</ref> [[File:Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Park Australian Open 2023 first round.jpg|alt=Rod Laver Arena, the main court of the Australian Open, in 2023.|thumb|[[Rod Laver Arena]], the main court of the Australian Open, in 2023]] The first tournaments of the Australasian Championships suffered from the competition of the other Australasian tournaments. Before 1905, all Australian states, and New Zealand, had their own championships; the first being organised in 1880 in Melbourne and called the Championship of the Colony of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] (later the Championship of Victoria).<ref name=tennis.com.au>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennis.com.au/pages/default.aspx?id=21&pageId=878 |title=History of Tennis – From humble beginnings |publisher=[[Tennis Australia]] |access-date=25 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080131194530/http://www.tennis.com.au/pages/default.aspx?id=21&pageId=878 |archive-date=31 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In those years, the best two players – Australian [[Norman Brookes]] (whose name is now written on the men's singles cup) and New Zealander [[Anthony Wilding]] – almost did not play this tournament. Brookes took part once and won in 1911, and Wilding entered and won the competition twice (1906 and 1909). Their meetings in the Victorian Championships (or at Wimbledon) helped to determine the best Australasian players. Even when the Australasian Championships were held in Hastings, New Zealand, in 1912, Wilding, though three times Wimbledon champion, did not come back to his home country. It was a recurring problem for all players of the era. Brookes went to Europe only three times, where he reached the Wimbledon Challenge Round once and then won Wimbledon twice. Thus, many players had never played the Austral(as)ian amateur or open championships: the Doherty brothers, [[William Larned]], [[Maurice McLoughlin]], [[Beals Wright]], [[Bill Johnston (tennis)|Bill Johnston]], [[Bill Tilden]], [[René Lacoste]], [[Henri Cochet]], [[Bobby Riggs]], [[Jack Kramer]], [[Ted Schroeder]], [[Pancho Gonzales]], [[Budge Patty]], and others, while Brookes, [[Ellsworth Vines]], [[Jaroslav Drobný]], came just once. Even in the 1960s and 1970s, when travel was less difficult, leading players such as [[Manuel Santana]], [[Jan Kodeš]], [[Manuel Orantes]], [[Ilie Năstase]] (who only came once, when 35 years old) and [[Björn Borg]] came rarely or not at all. === Open era === [[File:Ausopen margaret court arena medium.jpg|thumb|[[Margaret Court Arena]] at the Australian Open in 2005 prior to its redevelopment. [[Rod Laver Arena]] is in the background.]] Beginning in 1969, when the first Australian Open was held on the [[Milton Courts]] at Brisbane, the tournament was open to all players, including professionals who were not allowed to play the traditional circuit.<ref name=Ausstadiums>{{cite web|url=http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/special/milton.php |title=Milton Tennis Centre|publisher=Australian Stadiums|access-date=25 January 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080117043727/http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/special/milton.php| archive-date= 17 January 2008 | url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, except for the 1969 and 1971 tournaments, many of the best players missed the championship until 1982, because of the remoteness, the inconvenient dates (around Christmas and New Year's Day) and the low prize money. In 1970, [[George MacCall]]'s [[National Tennis League]], which employed [[Rod Laver]], [[Ken Rosewall]], [[Andrés Gimeno]], Pancho Gonzales, [[Roy Emerson]] and [[Fred Stolle]], prevented its players from entering the tournament because the guarantees were insufficient. The tournament was won by [[Arthur Ashe]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23047855-5001023,00.html |title=Hewitt chases amazing slam win |publisher=[[news.com.au]] |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |author=Nikki Tugwell |date=14 January 2008 |access-date=25 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201114907/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0%2C22049%2C23047855-5001023%2C00.html |archive-date= 1 February 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Australian Open 2007 Night Session.JPG|thumb|Rod Laver Arena night session in 2007, the last year the tournament used the [[Rebound Ace]] surface.]] In 1983, [[Ivan Lendl]], [[John McEnroe]] and [[Mats Wilander]] entered the tournament. Wilander won the singles title<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilandertribute.com/22.html|title=Australian Open 1983|author=Alan Trengove|publisher=wilandertribute.com|access-date=19 February 2008|archive-date=23 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123195128/http://www.wilandertribute.com/22.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and both his [[Davis Cup]] singles rubbers in the [[1983 Davis Cup#Final|Swedish loss to Australia]] at [[Kooyong Stadium|Kooyong]] shortly after.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=10000700 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630131645/http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=10000700 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 June 2013 |title=World Group 1983 Final|publisher=[[Davis Cup]]|access-date=19 February 2008}}</ref> Following the 1983 Australian Open, the [[International Tennis Federation]] prompted the [[Tennis Australia|Lawn Tennis Association of Australia]] to change the site of the tournament, because the Kooyong stadium was then inappropriate to serve such a big event. In 1988 the tournament was first held at Flinders Park (later renamed Melbourne Park).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21131668-5001023,00.html|title=Rebound Ace under review|publisher=[[news.com.au]]|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]|date=29 January 2007|access-date=19 February 2008|archive-date=29 May 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120529135353/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rebound-ace-under-review/story-e6frexni-1111112902265|url-status=dead}}</ref> The change of the venue also led to a change of the court surface from grass to a hard court surface known as [[Rebound Ace]].<ref name="nyt2008">{{cite news|author1=Christopher Clarey|title=On the surface, Australian Open gets a new bounce|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/sports/13iht-srtennis.5.9176593.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=13 January 2008|access-date=21 January 2018|archive-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216092207/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/sports/13iht-srtennis.5.9176593.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Mats Wilander was the only player to win the tournament on both grass and hard courts. In 2008, after being used for 20 years, the Rebound Ace was replaced by a cushioned, medium-paced,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/technical/equipment/courts/courtlist.asp|title=List of Classified Court Surfaces|work=itftennis.com|access-date=7 February 2009|archive-date=25 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225200228/http://www.itftennis.com/technical/equipment/courts/courtlist.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> acrylic surface known as [[Plexicushion|Plexicushion Prestige]]. [[Roger Federer]] and [[Serena Williams]] are the only players to win the Australian Open on both Rebound Ace and Plexicushion Prestige. The main benefits of the new surface are better consistency and less retention of heat because of a thinner top layer.<ref name="nyt2008"/> This change was accompanied by changes in the surfaces of all lead-up tournaments to the Australian Open. The change was controversial because of the new surface's similarity to [[DecoTurf]], the surface used by the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story7.html|title=Tennis court surfacer serves up two major deals|work=Boston Business Journal|date=28 January 2008|access-date=29 January 2010|archive-date=26 May 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526074649/http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story7.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Before the Melbourne Park stadium era, tournament dates fluctuated as well, in particular in the early years because of the climate of each site or exceptional events. For example, the 1919 tournament was held in January 1920 (the 1920 tournament was played in March) and the 1923 tournament in Brisbane took place in August when the weather was not too hot and wet. After a first 1977 tournament was held in December 1976 – January 1977, the organisers chose to move the next tournament forward a few days, then a second 1977 tournament was played (ended on 31 December), but this failed to attract the best players. [[File:Rod Laver Arena entrance 2023.jpg|alt=New Rod Laver Arena entrance added in 2018 as part of the Melbourne Park redevelopment.|thumb|New Rod Laver Arena entrance added in 2018 as part of the Melbourne Park redevelopment.]] From 1982 to 1985, the tournament was played in mid-December. Then it was decided to move the next tournament to mid-January (January 1987), which meant no tournament was organised in 1986. Since 1987, the Australian Open date has not changed (except for [[2021 Australian Open|2021]], when it was postponed by three weeks to February due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]). Some top players, including [[Roger Federer]] and [[Rafael Nadal]], have said in the past that the tournament is held too soon after the Christmas and New Year holidays, and expressed a desire to consider shifting the tournament to February.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24922806-3162,00.html|title=Rafael Nadal keen to call time on early slam|work=Herald Sun|location=Australia|date=17 January 2009|access-date=18 September 2009|first=Leo|last=Schlink|archive-date=29 May 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120529135355/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nadal-keen-to-call-time-on-early-slam/story-e6frf9if-1111118585564|url-status=dead}}</ref> Such a change, however, would move the tournament outside Australia's summer school holiday period, potentially impacting attendance figures. Prior to 1996, the Australian Open rewarded fewer [[ATP rankings]] points than the other three Grand Slam tournaments. The reason cited by the ATP was the prize money offered by the Australian Open was far less than the other three majors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/14/sports/tennis-australian-open-gains-more-clout-and-seles-to-its-lineup-for-1996.html |title=Tennis; Australian Open Gains More Clout and Seles To Its Lineup for 1996 |work=The New York Times |last=Clarey |first=Christopher |date=14 January 1996 |access-date=19 May 2023 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=20 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520021028/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/14/sports/tennis-australian-open-gains-more-clout-and-seles-to-its-lineup-for-1996.html |url-status=live }}</ref> === Melbourne Park expansion === [[File:Show Court Arena at Melbourne Park during Australian Open 2023.jpg|alt=New Show Court Arena that opened in 2022.|thumb|New [[Show Court Arena]] that opened in 2022]] [[New South Wales]] and overseas authorities proposed becoming the new hosts of the tournament in 2008, though such a move never materialised.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sydney plans Australian Open bid|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7665088.stm|website=BBC News|date=11 October 2008|access-date=1 February 2015|archive-date=4 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404073111/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7665088.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Cameron Houston|author2=Jason Dowling|title=NSW in negotiations to transfer Open from Melbourne|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw-in-negotiations-to-transfer-open-from-melbourne-20081010-4ydk.html|website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=11 October 2008|access-date=1 February 2015|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904095401/http://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw-in-negotiations-to-transfer-open-from-melbourne-20081010-4ydk.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In any case, it was around this time the [[Melbourne Park]] precinct commenced upgrades which enhanced facilities for players and spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mopt.com.au/about/melbourne-park-masterplan/|title=Melbourne Park Masterplan|work=Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust|access-date=8 January 2019|archive-date=8 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108202829/https://mopt.com.au/about/melbourne-park-masterplan/|url-status=live}}</ref> The precinct also aimed to provide more options of refreshments especially coffee to entertain the growing number of local and international visitors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Lidia |title=Coffee lovers find grounds for complaint at Australian Open |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis/coffee-lovers-find-grounds-complaint-australian-open-2025-01-15/ |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=Reuters}}</ref> Notably a [[retractable roof]] was placed over Margaret Court Arena, making the Open the first of the four Grand Slams to have retractable roofs available on three of their main courts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-04/australian-open-indoors-margaret-court-arena-retractable-roof/5999310|title=Australian Open could be played entirely indoors, as Margaret Court Arena gets retractable roof|work=ABC News|date=4 January 2015|access-date=8 January 2019|archive-date=7 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907054228/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-04/australian-open-indoors-margaret-court-arena-retractable-roof/5999310|url-status=live}}</ref> The player and administrative facilities, as well as access points for spectators, were improved and the tournament site expanded its footprint out of Melbourne Park into nearby [[Birrarung Marr, Melbourne|Birrarung Marr]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/2019/01/12/australian-open-rod-laver-arena-redevelopment/|title=The big changes coming to Rod Laver Arena this Australian Open|work=The New Daily|date=12 January 2019|access-date=27 January 2019|archive-date=28 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128082857/https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/2019/01/12/australian-open-rod-laver-arena-redevelopment/|url-status=live}}</ref> A [[Show Court Arena|fourth major show court]], seating 5,000 people was completed in late 2021, along with the rest of decade-long redevelopment, which included the ''[[Melbourne Park#Centrepiece|Centrepiece]]'' ballroom, function and media building, as well as other upgraded facilities for players, administrators and spectators.<ref name="Austadiums">{{cite web|url=https://www.austadiums.com/news/1122/10-year-redevelopment-of-melbourne-park-complete|title=10-year redevelopment of Melbourne Park complete|work=Austadiums|date=7 December 2021|access-date=24 December 2021|archive-date=24 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224041306/https://www.austadiums.com/news/1122/10-year-redevelopment-of-melbourne-park-complete|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2018, tournament organisers announced the Australian Open would follow the examples set by [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] and the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] and introduce [[Tennis scoring system#Scoring a tiebreak game|tie-breaks]] in the final sets of men's and women's singles matches. Unlike Wimbledon and the US Open, which initiated conventional tie-breaks at 12–12 games and 6–6 games respectively, the Australian Open utilises a first to 10 points breaker at 6 games all.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/sports/tennis/australian-open-tiebreaker.html|title=Australian Open Will Begin Using Final-Set Tiebreaker|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=21 December 2018|access-date=8 January 2019|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108124932/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/sports/tennis/australian-open-tiebreaker.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the tournament organisers decided to replace the official court manufacturer to [[GreenSet]], though retained the iconic blue cushioned acrylic hardcourt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tennis.com.au/news/2019/07/26/greenset-worldwide-new-official-court-surface-supplier|title=GreenSet worldwide new official court surface supplier|work=[[Tennis Australia]]|date=26 July 2019|access-date=22 January 2020|archive-date=17 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017065048/https://www.tennis.com.au/news/2019/07/26/greenset-worldwide-new-official-court-surface-supplier|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, in an effort to reduce the number of staff on-site due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], all matches used [[Electronic line judge|electronic line judging]]. It marked the first-ever Grand Slam tournament to exclusively use electronic line judging; the [[2020 US Open (tennis)|2020 US Open]] used it for matches outside of the two main stadium courts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/30877297/hawk-eye-live-gains-more-support-australian-open|title='There are just no mistakes happening': Hawk-Eye Live gains more support at Australian Open|date=13 February 2021|website=ESPN|access-date=1 March 2021|archive-date=19 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219185531/https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/30877297/hawk-eye-live-gains-more-support-australian-open|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Clarey|first=Christopher|date=3 August 2020|title=Automated Line Calls Will Replace Human Judges at U.S. Open|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/sports/tennis/us-open-hawkeye-line-judges.html|access-date=2 June 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602232342/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/sports/tennis/us-open-hawkeye-line-judges.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Australian Open produced a range of [[Non-fungible token|NFTs]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AO launches into Metaverse, serves up world-first NFT art collection linked to live match data |url=https://ausopen.com/articles/news/ao-launches-metaverse-serves-world-first-nft-art-collection-linked-live-match-data |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=ausopen.com |language=en |archive-date=15 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815135157/https://ausopen.com/articles/news/ao-launches-metaverse-serves-world-first-nft-art-collection-linked-live-match-data |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFT Tech's Run It Wild and AO Metaverse win Cannes Lions award for Sports Entertainment – NFT Tech Insights |url=https://www.nfttech.com/insights/nft-techs-run-it-wild-and-ao-metaverse-win-cannes-lions-award-for-sports-entertainment |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=www.nfttech.com |language=en |archive-date=11 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911040226/https://www.nfttech.com/insights/nft-techs-run-it-wild-and-ao-metaverse-win-cannes-lions-award-for-sports-entertainment |url-status=live }}</ref> Starting in [[2024 Australian Open|2024]], the Australian Open began on a Sunday, one day earlier than usual. Day sessions on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena featured a minimum of two matches (down from three) in an effort to reduce the possibility of matches finishing in the early hours of the following morning. The [[2025 Australian Open]] was the first Australian Open to present [[pickleball]]. From January 24 to the 26th the [[Pickleball in Australia|AO Pickleball Slam]] tournament was held on Court 3 at Melbourne Park. The invitational tournament awarded one hundred thousand dollars in prize money to some of Australia's top players and international participants.<ref>{{cite web |title=AO Pickleball Slam A global stage for a growing sport |url=https://ausopen.com/pickleballslam#!?videoId=6316333239112 |website=ausopen.com |publisher=Tennis Australia |access-date=6 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127105718/https://ausopen.com/pickleballslam#!?videoId=6316333239112 |archive-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>
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