Australian Open 2022: Special Ks match locked in at Rod Laver Arena

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis will be back in action, but things will be different to their previous matches. And mixed messaging is leaving fans confused.

A shot of Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have transformed the Australian Open this year, bringing in huge crowds to the outer courts. Now, a massive change has been confirmed.

Kyrgios has long said he loves the rowdy crowds on the smaller courts. John Cain Arena affectionaltely referred to as Kyrgios Court during the Aussie’s single’s campaign.

And his doubles venture with best mate Kokkinakis has brought an entirely new audience to the game with young men filling the stands on Kia Arena all week as the pair continues their campaign to win the men's doubles title.

Now, it’s all about to change — albeit with a level of confusion.

As we get to the business end of the tournament, Australian open director Craig Tiley has announced the Special Ks will be playing on Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

So too will Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott as he looks to end his incredible career with another title in the quad men’s singles final.

#AusOpen Order of Play Thursday 27 January pic.twitter.com/6Wp3riuHzj

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2022

The best bit? A Rod Laver day ticket — the same price as a ground pass — will get you into the famous tennis court.

The Special Ks will be out on court at 2:30pm at the earliest on Thursday, while Alcott’s game will follow the exciting duo.

Thursday RLA day session tix are $29 (same price as an #AusOpen ground pass).

Catch @TKokkinakis/@NickKyrgios from 2.30pm, followed by Australian of the Year @DylanAlcott in his last ever Grand Slam final. 

Tickets limited. Act fast! 🎫: https://t.co/Ddg6DVRVHe#AO2022pic.twitter.com/tqp0bcHK1p

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2022

“We actually are going to move the Special Ks from Kia arena on to Rod Laver Arena,” Tiley said on Channel 9.

“Anyone coming on site tomorrow with a grand pass can get into Rod Laver Arena and watch them play and not before 2:30, followed by Dylan, so stay and watch Dylan. We want to make Dylan’s match the most watched wheelchair tennis match in the history of the game tomorrow afternoon.”

But conflicting information is being shared, with an Instagram post from Thanasi Kokkinakis sharing with fans that a ground pass will get them into their semi-final clash.

The story states that “anyone with a ground pass” can enter Rod Laver Laver.

However, the official Australian Open page indicates that a RLA day session ticket is required, saying in a tweet: “Thursday RLA day session tix are $29 (same price as an #AusOpen ground pass). Catch @TKokkinakis/@NickKyrgios from 2.30pm, followed by Australian of the Year @DylanAlcottin his last ever Grand Slam final.”

Thursday RLA day session tix are $29 (same price as an #AusOpen ground pass).

Catch @TKokkinakis/@NickKyrgios from 2.30pm, followed by Australian of the Year @DylanAlcott in his last ever Grand Slam final. 

Tickets limited. Act fast! 🎫: https://t.co/Ddg6DVRVHe#AO2022pic.twitter.com/tqp0bcHK1p

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 26, 2022

An Instagram story shared by Thanasi Kokkinakis says fans can enter with a ground pass. Picture: Instagram

Sutton clears crowd boost for Aus Open

— Sam Landsberger and Lauren Wood

Victorian health authorities have given the green light to boosting tennis crowds for a blockbuster weekend at the Australian Open.

Martin Pakula, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, confirmed on Wednesday morning that chief health officer Brett Sutton has raised capacity to 65 per cent for the finals weekend.

“Breaking my self imposed Twitter hiatus (which I will return to – it’s blissful) to advise that the chief health officer has agreed to increase the ticketed capacity of the Australian Open to 65% for the remainder of the tournament,” he wrote on Twitter.

Breaking my self imposed Twitter hiatus (which I will return to - it’s blissful) to advise that the Chief Health Officer has agreed to increase the ticketed capacity of the Australian Open to 65% for the remainder of the tournament.

— Martin Pakula 💉💉💉 (@MartinPakulaMP) January 25, 2022

Tennis Australia revealed its plan to fill out Ash Barty’s prime time semi-final on Thursday night as the doors to Rod Laver Arena are thrown open for the Nick Kyrgios-Thanasi Kokkinakis doubles semi-final into Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott’s farewell match.

Tennis Australia has lost several millions of dollars in a shortfall on Rod Laver Arena tickets because of the 50 per cent crowd cap that was imposed only a week before the tournament.

News Corp revealed on the eve of the tournament that sessions already above that quota wouldn’t be scaled back although thousands of seats will still remain empty for Barty’s semi-final when the Socceroos light up a capacity crowd of 30,000 at AAMI Park at the same time.

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The crowd cap has cost Tennis Australia millions. Picture: Martin Keep/AFP

“Ash is in the semis and playing Madison Keys at 7:30 Thursday night, and we would love to get as many in as we can and we’ll continue to work with the State Government on that,” TA boss Craig Tiley said on Wednesday.

“We actually are going to move the Special Ks (Kyrgios and Kokkinakis) from Kia arena on to Rod Laver Arena (at 2.30pm) and anyone coming on site with a ground pass can get into Rod Laver Arena and watch them play … followed by Dylan, so stay and watch Dylan.

“We want to make Dylan’s match the most watched wheelchair tennis match in the history of the game tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.”

Alcott will battle Sam Schroder in the quad wheelchair singles final on Thursday, hoping to bow out of professional sport with an eighth-consecutive Australian Open crown.

A big crowd is expected to watch Thanasi Kokkinakis (L) and Nick Kyrgios in the doubles. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have loved the atmosphere at Kia Arena, the brand-new 5000-seat boutique court at Melbourne Park.

They have played their past three matches in front of capacity crowds at Kia while the best singles players in the world have simultaneously played in front of a similar number of fans at Rod Laver Arena because it has been restricted to 50 per cent due to having a retractable roof.

The weekend’s Australian Open finals will remain below 100 per cent, but Tiley was confident a greater percentage of the 15,000-seat RLA would be sold.

The only tickets remaining for public sale are a $12,500 on-court seating experience for Saturday night’s women’s final.

Cheaper tickets to the men’s and women’s finals are listed as “pending release”.

“That’s ultimately up to State Health and we work closely with them and always follow the directions of them and the State Government,” Tiley said on the host broadcaster.

“I have got to admit, they have been unbelievably supportive. When they first announced the 50 per cent capacity leading to the event we already had sold tickets and you’ll see the finals this week with 80 to 90 per cent capacity, we had already sold to that and they let us continue with that number and not to have to draw it back to 50 (per cent), so over the course of the next five days you will see more crowds in Rod Laver.”

CROWD CAP A RESULT OF DJOKOVIC DEBACLE

A battle between Tennis Australia and the state government over the crowd cap at Rod Laver Arena threatens to rob thousands of fans the chance to see Ash Barty strive for Australian Open history.

The Herald Sun understands Tennis Australia officials have launched a last-ditch effort to increase crowds for this weekend’s Australian Open finals.

It is understood tennis powerbrokers are pleading with the state government to lift its 50 per cent cap on crowds at Rod Laver Arena.

But the Hail Mary request will almost certainly be rejected.

It means Barty will play for a place in the women’s final in front of about 7000 fans on Thursday as the Socceroos light up a full house of 30,000 across the road at AAMI Park.

It is understood tension between Tennis Australia and the Victorian government over the Novak Djokovic debacle is curtailing the bid for bigger crowds on centre court.

Rod Laver Arena’s capacity is restricted because it has a retractable roof – even though Melbourne’s summer weather has kept it open all tournament.

Tennis officials are privately frustrated that their fans are likely to remain locked out when soccer and cricket supporters have been given the green light to pack out neighbouring stadiums.

Rod Laver Arena has been at half capacity for Ash Barty’s biggest matches. Picture: Michael Klein

Cricket Australia confirmed on Tuesday night that the Big Bash League final – which Perth Scorchers will host against either Sydney Sixers or Adelaide Strikers at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night – would not be subject to any crowd capacity restrictions.

While a neutral T20 game is unlikely to draw a big crowd, the fact that 50,000 fans could flock to an indoor venue while RLA remains capped has left insiders scratching their heads.

AAMI Park has confirmed it will be at full capacity for Thursday night’s clash between the Socceroos and Vietnam. There are just 250 tickets left.

“There is no crowd capacity limit. As an outdoor open premises, AAMI Park is approved to seat 30,052 people, as per the venue’s Covid safe plan,” a Melbourne and Olympic Parks spokesperson told News Corp on Tuesday night.

Doubles rock stars Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have told Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley to keep them on Kia Arena for their blockbuster semi-final on Thursday instead of being moved to a half-empty RLA.

“When we walk through that tunnel there’s no feeling like it. We’re seeing these stands packed, everything is ‘bunta’,” Kokkinakis said. “The rowdier the better, honestly. Sink p — s and come here.”

Nick Kyrgios has enjoyed Kia Arena. Picture: Getty Images

The new Kia Arena seats 5000 and can operate at 100 per cent capacity, because it does not have a roof, where as half of RLA’s 15,000 seats must remain empty even though the lid has remained open.

Not a drop of rain is expected to fall during Sunday night’s blockbuster men’s singles final and no match has been interrupted due to weather across the first nine days.

The soured relationship between TA and the state government over the Djokovic saga has not helped.

Just more than 200,000 clicked through the turnstiles in the first week, well down on the pre-pandemic tournament total of 812,174 in 2020.

Originally published as Australian Open 2022: Special Ks match locked in at Rod Laver Arena