Anthony Albanese met with wave of booing at Australian Open final

They say a week is a long time in politics, so a year must seem like an eternity for Anthony Albanese — whose warm welcome at the 2023 Australian Open just devolved into a wave of booing.

A “great tradition” or a sign of troubled times ahead for Anthony Albanese?

The wave of booing that met the Prime Minister at the Australian Open men’s final overnight was a stark contrast to his warm welcomes of previous years.

Not that Mr Albanese needed another clue Labor’s honeymoon period has ended, but the 15,000-odd tennis fans sent a very loud message.

The PM may have shrugged off the frosty reception, but he wasn’t fully able to shut down suggestions the crowd was reacting to his recent broken election promise on tax cuts.

A grand slam finals crowd may not be the most representative sample of Australia, but the boo’s signal an uphill battle for Mr Albanese to win back favour with voters.

Anthony Albanese with partner Jodie Haydon at the Australian Open final. Picture: Michael Klein

Whether angry about the PM’s broken promise on tax cuts or just generally not wanting politics mixed with sport, Mr Albanese joins a long line of prime ministers to draw the ire of a large sporting crowd.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison was booed at the Australian Open in 2019, later telling reporters it was a “great tradition” and he would have been “disappointed” if he didn’t get the same treatment as other PM’s.

In 2014 then-prime minister Tony Abbott was ruthlessly booed by NRL fans, John Howard was booed at countless sporting events, while Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd also copped it.

It’s difficult for politicians to strike a balance between showing they lead a sporting nation, without making their presence too much the focus of a game.

After being criticised for his attendance at the Open last summer, Mr Albanese was careful not to overdo appearances this year, spending the majority of the 15-day tournament visiting every state and territory in Australia.

Despite being a genuine tennis fan and long time player of the sport, Mr Albanese’s reception at this year’s Open show not even authenticity can save you when the crowd isn’t on your side.