Players, celebrities, sporting identities and socialites all rubbed shoulders at Crown Aviary ahead of the tournament kicking off.

Tennis players walking the blue carpet included Rafael Nadal, Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff, Caroline Wozniacki, Casper Ruud, Belinda Bencic, Gael Monfils, Elina Svitolina, Daniil Medvedev, Stan Wawrinka, Bob and Mike Bryan, Garbine Muguruza and Grigor Dimitrov.

Alexander Zverev said he didn’t intend to offend Nick Kyrgios with his comments about the Aussie’s Australian Open hopes.

The world no.7 said he merely pointed out others were also playing well.

Kyrgios apologised to the German if he had done anything wrong.

“Nobody offended me, we’re good,” Zverev said.

“I didn’t say anything bad, all I said was a lot of players are playing well. These guys are top 10, nothing offensive about it. I still think he has great chances.”

Zverev said he was a veteran of the Melbourne scene.

“This is my 12th time here, even when I wasn’t playing I was already here, I used to come with my brother,” he said.

World no.1 Nadal said: “I love being here, I love this country. I really feel happy every time I am here.”

Fifteen-year-old rising star Gauff, who will take on Venus Williams, wore a black dress she bought in a break from practice at the weekend.

“It’s something I just found,” the teenager said.

“It’s my second time playing her (Venus) so I know what to expect. I have to get over the fact I have to beat them (Venus and Serena) if I want to win.”

Caroline Wozniacki, who is playing her last Australian Open, said she wanted to go out on a high.

“That would be an amazing way to finish but I’m just going to go out there and do my best,” she said.

Jess Mauboy also attended the event after the Australian Open Girls Day Out music relief concert at Melbourne Park.

Other famous faces at the party were Jesinta Franklin, Montana Cox, Lindy Klim, Anna Heinrich, Olympia Valance, Gary Ablett and Mason Cox.

Mauboy walked the carpet before performing at an Australian Open bushfire relief concert.

“We’ve got to do whatever we can to help our people, our animals, our land who are rebuilding,” she said. “The hardest part has been watching and not being able to do anything, I think many of us have felt that way.”