The Australian Open dates back to 1905, and over its 113-year history it has become one of Melbourne’s most eagerly awaited and widely attended events of the year.
With a crowd of 100,000 people on opening day alone, the Australian Open offers entertainment well beyond tennis, with a packed program of initiatives starting as early as the week before the official opening, when players begin to arrive and bring the city to life.
Just days before his first match, Sinner starred alongside fellow champion Naomi Osaka in a game of pickleball—a sport widely played in Australia, using wooden paddles on a scaled-down tennis court.
It wasn’t the first time the two had faced off. Last year, ahead of the US Open, they went head-to-head across a ping-pong table, with Osaka emerging victorious.
Sinner’s revenge played out in a carefully staged venue inside Melbourne’s 1 Hotel, overlooking the Yarra River. While waiting for the champions to arrive, guests were treated to cocktails and food that combined refined presentation with unexpected flavour pairings.
Radio journalist and long-time Channel 9 personality Clint Stanaway introduced the players and provided live commentary for the match.
After the game, in true tennis tradition, Stanaway handed the microphone to the winner for a post-match interview. “I’d like to thank my team for their support,” Sinner joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Polite and reserved, true to his style, the world number two then patiently posed for photos with the long line of fans in attendance, stopping to chat briefly with some of them and never refusing a smile.
