Australian Open numbers cut but fans free to roam

Australian Open crowd numbers have been slashed, and there’s a major shake-up on how fans will be moving around Melbourne Park.

Australian Open crowd numbers have been slashed, with the Andrews government to allow just 7477 spectators at each remaining session of the Melbourne grand slam.

The state government previously ruled up to 25,000 fans would be able to attend the business end of the Open, including the final four days.

But only 14,954 spectators in total will be allowed to attend day and night sessions on Thursday.

And crowds will be capped at 7477 for twilight sessions on Friday as well as Saturday and Sunday’s women’s and men’s finals.

In another blow for fans keen to soak up the atmosphere, only spectators with a ticket to centre court will be ­allowed into Melbourne Park.

But those spectators will be free to move around the ­entire tennis precinct, with Melbourne Park to be reopened as one venue instead of three strict separate areas.

Empty stadiums have hit Tennis Australia hard. . Pic: Michael Klein

Australian Open boss Craig Tiley said the return of limited crowds would give sports fans something to smile about.

“We look forward to welcoming crowds to the Australian Open for the next four days and to finishing the event safely and on a high,” he said.

The new crowd cap means Rod Laver Arena will be about half full for the finals but most of Melbourne Park is likely to remain eerily quiet.

Tennis Australia said anyone with tickets who no longer wanted to attend would be offered a refund but it had not oversold seats for remaining sessions as it awaited government advice.

After record crowds of more than 812,000 packed the 2020 Open, government restrictions this year limited capacity to 30,000 for the first eight days and 25,000 from the quarterfinals onward.

It’s hoped some fans will be allowed back into Melbourne Park. Pic: Michael Klein

“The COVID-safe measures we had in place will continue, and we’ve opened up the zones so everyone can access the full site and enjoy both Grand Slam Oval and Garden Square,’’ Mr Tiley said. “We are all looking forward to an incredible four days of tennis and can’t wait to see everyone back at the AO.”

Until now, fans were restricted to zones set up around Rod Laver, Margaret Court and John Cain Arenas.

The limited return is a win for Tennis Australia, as it tries to slice some revenue from an event believed to have already cost $140m and required a government loan to stay afloat.

With the game’s governing body forced to refund fans stuck with tickets during the five-day lockdown, spectator spending on food and merchandise over the next four days will also help the balance sheet.

Fans will be required to sign in via QR code and groups of no more than six, separated by at least a seat, can sit together.

Masks must be worn indoors, including under stadium roofs and concourses, or anywhere outside where fans can’t socially distance at least 1.5m from others.

[e-mail]

@rolfep