Melbourne tournaments before the Australian Open: fans have to choose
Five tournaments will take place the week before the Australian Open in Melbourne - simultaneously.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jan 03, 2021, 02:09 pm
Everything will be different in 2021, especially in Australia. So far it has always been a nice tradition that the "Australian summer" when it comes to tennis was at home in Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane or in Hobart, Tasmania, on the one hand with the Hopman Cup, on the other hand with smaller tournaments in front of the Major in Melbourne this year together.
The ATP Cup, which has been taking place since 2020? Now takes place entirely in Melbourne, instead of Perth, Brisbane and Sydney. The Adelaide ATP tournament? As well. And three more ATP / WTA events.
The background is clear: "Unnecessary" trips should be avoided due to the corona pandemic. And the state of Victoria requires the players in the Australian Open (February 8-21, 2021) to quarantine two weeks in advance (14 days from January 15/16) in order to keep Melbourne corona-safe.
However, in order to offer the players match practice in the run-up to the Australian Open, one had to be inventive. The result: five ATP / WTA events will be held on the grounds of the Australian Open in the week of January 31, 2021. The plant will be divided accordingly, as reported by the Australian heraldsun.com.au .
Which tournaments are held where?
There will be three areas to which fans will have access for "their" booked tickets:
- The Rod Laver Arena and the Margaret Court Arena will only be used for the ATP Cup, from February 1st to 5th, 2021. 12 teams will be at the start here this year (instead of 24 last year). Current status according to defending champion Serbia, last year's finalist Spain, Austria (including Dominic Thiem) , Russia, Greece, Germany, Argentina, Italy, Japan, France, Canada and Australia.
- Furthermore, two ATP 250 tournaments are planned, "Melbourne 1" and "Melbourne 2": each from January 31 to February 6 and each with 64 draws in singles and 32 fields in doubles. They are to be carried out on the courses in the west of the facility.
- And: two WTA 500 tournaments. The games are to be played in the newly named John Cain Arena (formerly Melbourne Arena) and the eastern courts in Melbourne Park.
Ticket holders have to decide which "tournament" they want to see on which day. However, specific ticket information is still pending.
"The additional events will be crucial in preparing for the Australian Open," said tournament director Craig Tiley about the players on site.
Players who are eliminated early at the Australian Open will also have another opportunity to play in Melbourne: from February 13, another WTA250 tournament will take place on the facility.