December 31, 2024

Open Court

MORE TENNIS THAN YOU'LL EVER NEED

Pics: Around Melbourne Park, on a quiet day

MELBOURNE, Australia – We’re still a week away from the start of Australian Open qualifying. And nearly two weeks away from the start of the main draw.

But with three tournaments on site this week – two WTA, one ATP – Rod Laver Arena is to be opened Tuesday to welcome Andy Murray, Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios.

So it’s busy but also quiet. If that makes sense.

Open Court wandered the grounds from end to end on Monday to see how things look.

The new stadium, Kia Arena, is done and ready to go.

And if the outside looks wrapped in the inside part of a roll of corrugated cardboard, the inside is fabulous.

It is a sunken court, though. If the temperatures this week aren’t going to get much past the mid-20C Celsius, you’d expect an eventual heat wave to come before the end of the event. It almost always does.

And that might well mean the players will be roasting down there.

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