12th January 2025 – (Melbourne) The opening day of the Australian Open was characterised not by fierce rallies but by persistent rain, which forced the cancellation of nearly a quarter of the scheduled singles matches. As wet weather wreaked havoc on the tournament, the fastest-moving item at the Melbourne Park gift shop was a $25 poncho, highlighting the challenges faced by fans seeking shelter.
With many matches taking place on outer courts that lack roofs, ticket holders were left scrambling for cover. By early afternoon, the main gift shop had sold out of ponchos, and umbrellas priced at $35 and $40 were in high demand, prompting staff to rush to restock the quickly diminishing supplies.
Despite the adverse conditions, thousands of fans braved the weather in hopes of catching some tennis action. However, after four hours, a steady stream of spectators began to leave the venue, disappointed by the lack of play. Local academic Alex, who had paid $60 for her ticket, expressed her frustration, saying, “Lovely time here, beautiful sitting in the arena, nice watching the water collect, but we didn’t get any tennis.”
She lamented the lack of communication regarding the weather’s impact on the matches, stating, “A little bit of goodwill would’ve been nice, a little bit of information sharing in the stadium,” noting that there were no announcements regarding the situation.
In response, Tennis Australia stated that updates were communicated through screens around the precinct, the tournament’s app, and social media channels.
By 6 p.m., eight out of the 32 scheduled matches had been cancelled. However, organisers planned to utilise an additional day added to the tournament last year to reschedule the affected matches.
Not all attendees shared the disappointment, as 15-year-old Tony Mai from Sydney found joy in his first experience at his home Grand Slam. “I mean, the weather is not that great, but everything is like so real – I’ve been watching it since I was little and now I see it in real life,” he said, adding that he planned to stay for the rest of the day.
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