Never mind the cost of living, Albo’s broken promise, tournament bailouts or the bundling out of a perennial champion, all eyes at Melbourne Park on Sunday evening were on Italian young gun Yannik Sinner who beat Russian villain Daniil Medvedev in the men’s final of the Australian Open.
Billionaires and corporate titans gathered in Rod Laver Arena to watch the action, with AO chair Jayne Hrdlicka hosting PM Anthony Albanese (who was booed by the crowd ahead of the trophy presentation), fresh in white polo, and his partner Jodie Haydon.
Rich listers included fast food king Jack Cowin with his partner Sharon, who had enjoyed pre-match hospitality courtesy of ANZ. The bank’s head of institutional Mark Whelan was seated next to pub and property baron Justin Hemmes, down from Sydney.
His rat pack buddies, Seven Group chief Ryan Stokes and wife Claire, and former federal treasurer turned Goldman Sachs local chair Josh Frydenberg were also nearby.
Melbourne property king Tim Gurner and his pregnant wife Aimee were also guests of ANZ.
BHP chair Ken MacKenzie and investment banker John Wylie were also there, along with Trawalla’s Carol Schwartz and her husband Allen, along with private equiteer Ben Gray and his unionist turned state pollie wife Lubiana Grigorovich and Pies president Jeff Brown.
Roaming the precinct before the match were HomeCo director and Richmond footy club boss Brendan Gale, Tabcorp chair Bruce Akhurst, former Victorian health minister Martin Foley and Medibank boss David Koczkar on his way into Penfolds.
Former Aussie Super boss and now Crown Resorts director Ian Silk and Nine Entertainment columnist Jennifer Hewitt were also on deck.
Other billionaires were dotted around the court, including trucker Lindsay Fox, doing his best impersonation of farmer Joe. Fox was there with his grandson Harry.
Sydney property squillionaire Harry Trigboff of Meriton was watching the action closely.
Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler was also in the house, along with former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu.
Flight Centre boss and rich lister Graeme Turner was seated next to Sky News Australia boss Paul Whittaker
Sitting in seats being hosted by tournament broadcaster Nine Entertainment’s chief Mike Sneesby and chair Peter Costello were network star Eddie McGuire and wife Carla, former Telstra boss Andy Penn and wife Kallie Blauhorn and Flagstaff Partners chair Tony Burgess.
Transurban chair Craig Drummond and relatively new CEO Michelle Jablko were courtside, as was News Corporation exec Peter Blunden.
Actors spied included Eric Bana, Deborah Lee Furness and Simon Baker.
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