Australian Open: Crowds sparse, but players and fans happy the event could go ahead

Fans normally flock to Melbourne Park in their thousands, but there’s a more subdued atmosphere this year as the grand slam begins.

08/02/21 People sitting in garden square at the Australian Open. Aaron Francis/The Australian

Players and fans at the Australian Open were upbeat the major international sporting event successfully kicked off on Monday, after fears COVID-19 would threaten its launch and despite tiny crowds.

Although up to 30,000 tennis fans per day were allowed to visit Melbourne Park, there appeared to be significantly fewer than the limit during the day session with the Australian Open yet to confirm the exact number of attendees.

It compared with 42,243 fans who packed out Melbourne Park during the opening day session last year, and 22,144 who attended at night.

Athletes and punters alike noted the lacklustre number of fans at the event which is usually brimming with punters, but were all pleased the first of four international Grand Slam tournaments could go ahead at all.

People sitting in garden square at the Australian Open. Picture: Aaron Francis.

American legend Serena Williams noted there was a difference to usual after her opening round win over Laura Siegemund on Rod Laver Arena but said it was clearly a step forward for the tour.

“It‘s getting there. Obviously it’s not a full crowd like I’m used to. At the same time compared to last year, it’s definitely different,” she said.

“Just to have any sort of crowd, like playing in New York where there was no crowd, it‘s definitely nice to have some people, a lot of people out there.”

Naomi Osaka, who earned more than $50 million in the last financial year, said she appreciated interacting with the crowd again.

“I haven‘t gone out or anything, but I do feel like it did remind me of last year. That, for me, is something really positive to take in,” she said.

After they relocated from Britain to Australian in January last year, fans Ellie and Marcus Cumberpatch and their three young children said since they survived the state’s four month lockdown in 2020 they could hardly wait to visit the Open.

08/02/21 Ellie and Marcus Cumberpatch with their kids Jasper (4), Caspian (3) and Nia (1) at the Australian open on day one of the tournament. Aaron Francis/The Australian

“Even the kids have got into tennis over the last year or so but I am a massive tennis fan and have been for years,” Mr Cumberpatch said.

“This place is buzzing even though it’s going to be the same as it would be otherwise,” he said.

Melbourne locals Melanie Davey and James Mccutchan said despite being concerned about coronavirus, they still decided to turn up on day one.

“It’s usually way more crowded than this … I think with the spectator pods it’s obvious they took the event safety pretty seriously,” Ms Davey said.

08/02/21 Melanie Davey and James McCutchan at the Australian open on day one of the tournament. Aaron Francis/The Australian

“I really like the tennis so I wasn’t against it (going ahead),” the 28-year-old said.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley on Sunday the event would see just 25 per cent attend on some days due to the date shift coinciding with the end of holidays, recent COVID-19 scares and COVID-safe guidelines.

“I think we will be around our budgeted target. It was between 25 to 50 per cent capacity. It is not the numbers we have seen before,” he told The Australian.

“We have modelled financially for that outcome and we are not far off that target. We have an opportunity to deliver a great outcome for Melbourne and for Australia.”

It came after a COVID-19 scare last week which saw more than 500 players and their staff instructed to self-isolate when it was revealed a 26-year-old man from Noble Park – who worked at the Grand Hyatt Hotel for the quarantine program – contracted the contagious UK strain of COVID-19.

On Friday it was confirmed all close and casual contacts returned negative results.

There were plenty of free seats at Garden Square. Picture: Aaron Francis