Australian Open boss Craig Tiley wants to erect a statue of Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park
Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley says erecting a statue of 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park is a no-brainer — and the Serbian can win the local Grand Slam again.
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Statues of a host of international tennis stars including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Serena Williams should be built at Melbourne Park to create a unique new attraction, according the Australian Open boss.
Craig Tiley said the area needed to evolve to keep up with other grand slams that have poured billions of dollars into their precincts.
“I’d like to have a whole precinct full of statues of the great tennis players,” he said.
“Every year we put up a new statue of an Australian and this precinct is about tennis.
“It was built with tennis in mind and we have so many people that come here from right around the world.
“They come to the precinct when the Australian Open is not on because they want to see the place that it happens.
“And I think there is more we can offer those fans from the tennis precinct.”
Despite being bundled out of this month’s Melbourne Grand Slam after retiring hurt, Mr Tiley said a statute of 10-time AO winner Djokovic was a no-brainer.
“I mean, he’s won this event 10 times and I still think he can win it again,” he said.
“I think any time we can recognise tennis or the champions of the game I’m going to go for it.
“Whether it’s Novak, Roger Federer, Serena Williams – the list goes on.”
The busts of 48 Aussie tennis Hall of Famers including Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson and Ken Rosewall proudly circle Garden Square at Melbourne Park, where crowds flock to watch the Open on big screens every year.
A larger-than-life bronze statue of Laver stands at the entrance to the arena named in his honour.
The “sportsmanship” shown by Aussie Olympians John Landy and Ron Clarke is immortalised in an iconic statue in the Olympic Park precinct.
A statue honouring Mushroom music pioneer Michael Gudinski was unveiled at Melbourne Park in 2022.
Aussie netball great Sharelle McMahon had a statue struck outside John Cain Arena to recognise her feats in 2023.
And across Olympic Boulevard, there are statues to celebrate Melbourne Storm icons Cameron Smith and Billy Slater and a lesser known memorial for Hungarian soccer great Ferenc Puskás, who managed South Melbourne from 1989-92.
There is even a tribute to pop star Pink’s and a sold out run of shows outside Rod Laver Arena.
But there are no statues paying tribute to international sporting stars that have given fans lasting memories at the iconic Australian sporting precinct.
Mr Tiley said that needed to change.
While it would ultimately be up to the state government and Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust to decide if Djokovic was given a statue, fans of the Serbian superstar said it was a no-brainer.
Djokovic fan Marija Nedeljkov said: “while it’s not up to us, we would love for that to happen,’’
“He bloody deserves it.’’
The Herald Sun last month revealed Djokovic’s claim he feels “trauma” when he arrives in Melbourne after being detailed by border force officials, locked in immigration detention and deported by the federal government.
Mr Tiley denied fans who booed Djokovic when he retired from this year’s semi-final through injury were against him.
“I focused on the amount of cheering we heard when he walked on the court…I think the booing was not against Novak,” he said.
“I think it was more about the disappointment they wouldn’t get to see another unbelievable set of tennis.”
Mr Tiley also revealed plans to one day stage a match in the middle of the MCG in a bid to draw the biggest ever tennis crowd.
It comes as record crowds poured into this year’s event, making it the most successful Australian Open in history.
More than 46,000 fans passed through the gates of Melbourne Park on the final day of the competition.
But a game at the MCG – which boasts a total capacity of 100,000 – would eclipse that.
“Maybe (we should) start calling for it. I think it’d be great – put a tennis court in the middle,” he said.
“We could put something together, and you could potentially have the biggest tennis audience ever in the history of the world.”
Originally published as Australian Open boss Craig Tiley wants to erect a statue of Novak Djokovic at Melbourne Park
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