They call him the for a reason “Happy Slam”. Of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the most crowd-friendly is the Australian Open. This year, the first Major of the season turns 35 years at Melbourne Park, being the first of the big four to have a court with a retractable roof. Since the move from Kooyong to today, the Australian Open has become the Grand Slam tournament with the most stadiums.
Rod Laver Arena
Opened in 1988, this stadium is one of the most iconic in the world of tennis. With capacity for almost 15,000 spectators, the Rod Laver Arena became the first tennis stadium in the world with a retractable roof, where just 20 years later Wimbledon’s Center Court would replicate this feature. In addition, the roof allows it to host different events throughout the year, such as concerts and other sports competitions, despite being designed mainly for the practice of tennis.
On this court, the main tennis players of the circuit are scheduled in the initial rounds, which do not usually leave Rod Laver throughout the tournament. He has also witnessed memorable moments, such as an iconic John McEnroe disqualification in 1990, or the historic 2017 final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, as well as the Spaniard’s epic triumph in 2022, coming from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev, to lift his 21st Grand Slam.
John Cain Arena
With names from sponsors such as Vodafone or Hisense Arena, in 2021 the stadium was renamed in honor of the Victorian state premier who ensured the continuity of the Australian Open in Melbourne at the expense of a relocation to Sydney. This stadium was opened to the public for the 2001 edition of the event, and has a capacity of 10,300 spectators, being the second Grand Slam stadium to have a retractable roof in case of rain or extreme heat.
Currently, it is considered the third most important pitch despite being the second in capacity, and it is nicknamed “The people’s pitch” because of the atmosphere that is generated, and because of the players that are programmed in this stadium. Recently, Nick Kyrgios has made the John Cain Arena his favorite venue at Melbourne Park.
Margaret Court Arena
Inaugurated in 1988 with a large part of the complex, the Margaret Court Arena was the second most important arena until 2001, with the inauguration of the John Cain Arena, and resumed its place with the renovation carried out in 2014, which gave it its current capacity of 7,500 spectators and a retractable roof, making the Australian Open the first Grand Slam with three courts with this feature.
In the first rounds, many favorites of the public, but not necessarily to be champions, were scheduled to play their matches on this court. One who usually sold out the Margaret Court was Fernando González, who played a thrilling third-round match against Richard Gasquet at that stadium in the 2009 edition of the tournament.
KIA Arena
Melbourne Park’s newest court, the KIA Arena was built between 2019 and 2021 to make its debut at the latest edition of the Australian Open. With a capacity of 5,000, it has quickly become a favorite with fans and players alike, as it is a stadium that any other tournament would want as its main court, but all those with a Ground Ticket can enter the field.
1573 Arena
Previously known as Show Court 2, it was originally the third largest court in the complex, being relegated after the redevelopments in Melbourne Park. As of 2019, it is named after a liquor from the Chinese company Luzhou Laojiao, which has a sponsorship contract worth close to that of KIA, the main sponsor of the tournament.
Show Court 3
Like Rod Laver, Margaret Court and 1573 Arena, this court was opened in 1988 with the relocation of the tournament from Kooyong. Like the previous pitch, it has a capacity for 3,000 spectators, and has a roof that allows fans to find a shady spot in the face of the strong Australian heat.
Fotos: Getty Images
