Sets in the City sportsnetholidays.com
’s No Faults guide
to your summer of tennis
FINAL WEEKS! DON’T MISS OUT!
principal partner
MUST CLOSE 16 FEBRUARY HURRY BOOK AT OR VISIT THE REGENT THEATRE BOX OFFICE
3
INDEX
5 6 8
INTRODUCTION
THE FACTS!
ALL THE NITTY GRITTY!
18
THE FUN BITS! THE SERIOUS BITS!
22 24
THE TASTY BITS!
SPORTSNET’S TOP TIPS!
5
INTRODUCTION Welcome to melbourne! For two weeks in January there is no better place on earth than courtside at the world-famous melbourne Park, to share in all the action and exhilaration of Grand Slam® tennis!
The team at Sportsnet Holidays are excited to have you join us, to witness the passion, the drive, the courage and determination as the world’s top tennis player’s fight for the ultimate prize! Summer in Melbourne sees a dynamic, thriving city buzzing with energy! Restaurants, fashion boutiques, café-filled laneways, cool bars, unbeatable galleries, spacious parks and beautiful bayside towns are just waiting for you to explore! We have no doubt you will have a fabulous time in this great city of ours and we are excited to share it with you!
Welcome to Australian open 2014!
6
THE FACTS! The Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam® tennis events to be held each year, the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. The inaugural tournament was first played in 1905 at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground, and was a men’s only event called the Australasian Championships. At this stage it wasn’t designated as one of the majors and only reached this status in 1924. The competition became known as the Australian Championships in 1927 and then finally the Australian Open in 1969. The tournament was held in numerous cities around Australia and New Zealand before it permanently settled in Melbourne in 1972, first at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and then at the purpose built Flinders Park in 1988, now known as Melbourne Park, where it remains today. Computer rankings
Computer rankings are used as a basis for the seeding of 32 players in the singles championships. The first and second seeds are placed, respectively, at the top and bottom of the draw. All remaining seeds are then randomly drawn and placed in designated positions in the draw, followed by the remainder of the field, which is randomly drawn from top to bottom of the draw by IBM computer technology.
Ranking points
Players win twice as many points for a win in a Grand Slam® match as they do for winning a match at the next level - ATP Tennis Masters Series and WTA Tour Tier Premier tournaments.
Electronic review
Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Show Courts 2 and 3 will utilise
FAST FACT
Hawk-Eye technology to conduct electronic reviews of disputed line calls. The Australian Open adopts the ‘three-plus-one’ electronic review system. Players will receive three incorrect challenges during each set and a fourth challenge if a set goes to a tiebreaker.
Court surface
The vibrant Plexicushion surface enhances ball visibility. Trademarked as ‘Australian Open True Blue’, the courts are two-toned, allowing for greater contrast and improved depth perception.
Wilson Balls
Wilson supplies more than 4000 dozen tennis balls for use during the tournament. Six new balls are used for the five-minute warm-up and the first seven games and six new balls are provided every nine games thereafter. Used balls are sold on site.
Rod Laver Arena is a multi-purpose stadium seating 15,000 spectators. Hisense Arena seats 10,000 in tennis mode and margaret Court Arena seats 6,000, while Show Court 2 and Show Court 3 each seat 3,000 people.
DRAW
Men’s
The draw for the singles, doubles, juniors and wheelchair competitions will be held on Friday January 10, featuring special guests and 2013 champions Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka. Singles 128 players (104 direct entries based on rankings, 16 qualifiers, eight wildcards)
Doubles 64 pairs, including seven wildcards.
Women’s
Singles 128 players (108 direct entries, 12 qualifiers, eight wildcards).
Doubles 64 pairs, including seven wildcards.
Mixed
Doubles 32 pairs, including seven wildcards.
sessions
GATE OPENING TIMES
Mon, 13 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Tue, 14 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Wed, 15 Jan 10 AM
5PM
Thu, 16 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Fri, 17 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Day sessions
Sat, 18 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Twilight sessions
Sun, 19 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Mon, 20 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Tue, 21 Jan
10 AM
5PM
Wed, 22 Jan 10 AM
5PM
Night sessions
Thu, 23 Jan
HOT
TIP
10 AM
5PM
Fri, 24 Jan
2PM
Sat, 25 Jan
12PM
Sun, 26 Jan
3PM
Securing an autograph or two is tricky, but very possible! One tactic is to ninja yourself above the player exit in the court and pounce on them with your item of choice before they leave!
ALL THE NITTY GRITTY! AmeniTieS Toilets
There are a number of toilet facilities available around the precinct. These are marked on the fold out Melbourne Park Grounds Map.
Baby change facilities
Baby change facilities are available within the male and female toilets, which are located on the western and eastern sides of Rod Laver Arena near doors 5, 6, 15 and 16.
Cloakroom
A cloaking service is provided free of charge outside the venue in the Rod Laver Arena Forecourt. Once inside the venue, cloaking may also be found at the Information Desks within Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena concourses.
eFTPoS/ATms
ATMs are located around the site, including within Rod Laver and Hisense Arena concourses. EFTPOS will be available at all official Australian Open merchandise shops and key retail and food outlets.
HOT
TIP
First Aid
There are several first aid stations available around the Melbourne Park precinct. These are marked on the fold out Grounds Map.
Lost and found
Lost and found is located at the Information Desk on the Rod Laver Arena concourse level.
Lost children
Go to the Information Desk at Rod Laver Arena (near door 20) or at the Information Desk at Hisense Arena (Olympic Boulevard foyer).
Pass outs
To gain re-entry after leaving and returning to the venue during a session, patrons must ensure they scan their ticket out at the exits.
Prams and strollers
Prams and strollers are not permitted in seating areas. Outside cloaking facilities can be utilised free of charge. There is also limited storage at the Hisense Arena Information Desk for the cloaking of prams while Hisense Arena remains open.
Bring two bottles of water, and freeze one of them beforehand. When you’re stuck in the stands with an empty bottle of water because the ushers won’t let anyone leave, you’ll be glad you have a second one!
9
HOW CAN I GET TO MELBOURNE PARK? Taxis
A taxi rank is located on the north side of Olympic Boulevard, adjacent to Grand Slam® Oval.
Pick up/drop off points for people with a disability or special needs
A pick up and drop off zone is located on Olympic Boulevard out the front of Hisense Arena. Please note there is an access lift located at the front forecourt entrance of Rod Laver Arena, which provides access to the concourse level.
Parking
Public parking is located (subject to availability) at Yarra Park via Gate 3 for day and night sessions and Gate 5 for day sessions only. Gate 7 is for pre-purchased corporate and staff parking only. Parking is also available in and around Melbourne CBD.
Public Transport Trams
All Australian Open ticket-holders are able to enjoy a free tram shuttle service operating on route 70 from the CBD to Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena. The service operates until one hour after the end of play.
Trains
Richmond, Flinders Street and Jolimont stations are within easy walking distance to Melbourne Park. Access to the venue from Flinders Street is via the signed pedestrian route through Federation Square and Birrarung Marr, along the Yarra River. Please note: the last train services depart Finders Street Station from approximately 12:00 midnight during the week and approximately 1:00 am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. For train, tram or bus details call Public Transport Victoria on 1800 800 007 or www.ptv.vic.gov.au
WHAT MUST I LEAVE AT HOME? As much fun as some things may be, some items must just be left at home! The following items are NOT allowed into Melbourne Park: • Alcohol • Animals except service animals (eg. seeing eye dogs) • Any item that could be used as a weapon • Beach balls and other inflatable devices • Audio recorders • Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and roller-blades/skates • Camera tripods, monopods, telephoto camera lenses with a focal length capacity greater than 200mm • Video cameras and handy-cams • Drink and food cans • Chairs and stools • Eskies and hampers
•F ireworks •F risbees • Helium balloons •G lass (including bottles) •L arge containers in excess of 1.5 litres •F lags, banners or signs larger than 1.2m wide or with handles longer than 50cm in length •M usical instruments and/or amplification equipment •L aser pointers, distress signals, whistles or loud hailers •D angerous goods and any other item prohibited by legislation
Note: P rams and strollers
are not permitted in seating areas.
10
THE FUN BITS! Lose yourself in the buzzing atmosphere of Grand Slam® Oval, the Australian Open’s Entertainment Precinct! With tennis action live on the big screen, a great mix of bars and an awesome line up of live Australian bands & DJ’s, Grand Slam® Oval is THE place to be!
ACTIVITIES ON GRAND SLAM® OVAL INCLUDE: • Kia Kube • Rolex Clock • ANZ Advantage Arena • Lacoste Clubhouse • MLC Fan Zone • Wilson • Natural Confectionery Company • Mount Franklin Waterfall Dome • Cancer Council Marquee • Medibank #GenBetter Marquee • Coca Cola Frozen Zone • IBM Return Serve • Hisense Speed Serve • Tennis Insights • AO Membership • Face Painting • Cardio Tennis • Nova FM
Heineken Live Stage
A host of Australia’s hottest live bands and artists, from established names to up and comers, take to the Heineken Live Stage each day and evening. The feature bands play from 6pm – 7pm every day, what better way to spend a balmy summer’s night under the stars!
Garden Square & Court 4
Head down to the family zone at Garden Square where kids can experience the joy of tennis first hand. There are plenty of exciting activities for the whole family, including MLC Tennis Hot Shots, MLC Autograph Island & all the tennis action live on the big screen - the perfect place to lay down a picnic rug, relax and enjoy!
Activities in Garden Square & Court 4 include:
• 3AW • ABC • Kia Greastest Fan Zone & Face Painting • MLC Tennis Hot Shots • Australian Tennis Magazine • Wilson Stringers Hut • MLC Tennis Hot Shots Mini Court • MLC Autograph Island
Australian open tennis championships app
All the info you need in one place! Download the app to keep up-to-date on all live scores, draws, schedules, breaking news, AO radio, photos and much more!
THE SERIOUS BITS! LOST TICKET PROCEDURE Uh oh.. In your excitement to catch your flight to Melbourne, you’ve left your tickets on the kitchen table! The friendly team at Sportsnet Holidays are available 7 days a week to help you out! Give us a call on: Office: 1300 888 858 OR After Hours: 0435 653 127.
We will organise to get these tickets reprinted for you. The actual reprinting of the ticket will only happen on the particular day of the session only & tickets can only be collected on this day. Ticket collection is from the Accreditation & Tickets Collection office (Will Call)
11
dine by the yarra at
Short walk to the Tennis. Smiling chefs. Iconic Views. Bountiful Seafood. Open Kitchens. Grazing Buffet. Authentic Indian. Italian Pastas. Turbo Woks. Japanese Station. Dim Sum. Classic Carvery. Cheese Island. Decadent Desserts. Lunch & Dinner Daily melbarestaurant.com.au 1800 641 107
THE LANGHAM, MELBOURNE ONE SOUTHGATE AVE, SOUTHBANK
12
THE SERIOUS BITS! located in front of Rod Laver Arena, off Batman Avenue. This is marked on your Grounds Map. Tickets will be held under the name of the guest and photo id will need to be presented to obtain the tickets.
Lost property
If you have lost items during your time at the Australian Open, please call +61 3 9286 1600 and choose Option 3.
Australian open information line: +61 3 9914 4677 If you are at Melbourne Park, roaming information staff are on site daily to help patrons with any questions. Information booths are located at the City Entrance, Rod Laver Arena forecourt, Rod Laver Arena eastern concourse and at Federation Square.
extreme heat policy
The Australian Open Extreme Heat Policy (EHP) will be applied at the Referee’s discretion and may be altered at any time. At the Referee’s discretion, when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature only (WBGT) is equal to or above the pre-determined threshold, the Referee may suspend the commencement of any further matches on outside courts. Any matches currently in progress will continue until the end of the current set. At the completion of the set, play will be suspended. Where play in any match commences outdoors (or with a roof open) at the Referee’s Discretion, the match will continue until the completion of the set. At the end of the set, a decision may be made
HOT
TIP
by the Referee to close the roof for the remainder of the match and the following matches, when the EHP is still in effect. The roof will only be closed because of extreme heat if a decision has been made by the Referee to suspend the completion or commencement of matches on the outdoor courts.
Roof policy
In the event of rain falling prior to the scheduled starting time of play, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena roofs may be closed. If play commences with a roof closed, for whatever reason, then the roof will remain closed for the remainder of the match and, if further rain is forecast, normally for the entire session. When play commences with a roof open, a decision to close the roof will only be made after play has stopped because of rain and then only if the forecast is for continuing rain. A roof will not normally be closed because of the threat of rain. The decision to close the roofs rests solely with the Referee. When fully open, the Rod Laver Arena roof takes approximately 25 minutes to close depending on wind, and the Hisense Arena roof takes approximately 10 - 15 minutes to close.
Slip slop slap
No matter how much you like the sun, remember to be “sun smart” – slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat! The hole in the ozone can feel like it is right above you during the Melbourne summer. The harsh UV levels account for a number of heat-related withdrawals by players each year, many more than in any other Grand Slam® Tournament.
melbournians don’t lie. We do get 4 seasons in one day! What starts out as a scorcher can very quickly cool down so always grab that hoodie as you race out the door!
14
THE TASTY BITS! There are plenty of options for food & beverage at Melbourne Park, you definitely won’t be going home hungry! With an emphasis on fresh & healthy dining you will find a range of freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, wraps and cobs with a variety of fillings, as well as salads, gluten free and vegetarian options to suit every tummy!
FOOD & BEVERAGE Arena
Come visit Arena Cafe for a sit down dining experience, featuring gourmet wood-fired pizzas made to order. Stay for a full meal, light snacks or a beverage with lots of options available from their extensive menu. Located on the east side of Rod Laver Arena.
Grass & grain
Located south side of Margaret Court Arena, Grass & Grain is a fully licensed pop up steak restaurant (Serving vegetarian options also).
Zest
A fully licensed restaurant offering exciting flavours from the South East Asia. Please note: Zest is located in the Premium Hospitality Precinct. Tickets to enter Zest can be purchased online at ticketek. com.au/australianopen or onsite from the AO Hospitality Information Desk in Rod Laver Arena.
Rod Laver Arena
• Full range of food offerings including fish & chips, burgers, Food Store RLA (healthy offerings), Butchers Block & Connoisseur Scoop Parlour
HOT
TIP
• Coffee, soft drinks & Frozen Coke • Licensed Bar • Gluten friendly & vegetarian food offerings available
Hisense Arena
• Full range of food offerings including burgers, gourmet sausages, fish & chips and healthy offerings • Coffee & soft drinks • Licensed Bar • Scoop Parlor Ice Cream • Gluten friendly & vegetarian food offerings available
Grand Slam® Oval
• Yori Korean BBQ • Curry Pot Kitchen • Salsa’s Fresh Mex Grill • Frozen Zone • Peter’s Ice Cream • Heineken Bar • Jacob’s Creek Wine Bar • Great Aussie BBQ • Gluten friendly & vegetarian food offerings available
Garden Square
• Frozen Zone • Muchos Nachos, Pizza Pomodoro & Snag Bar • Coffee, soft drinks & Frozen Coke • Licensed Bar • Gluten friendly & vegetarian food offerings available
South Side of margaret Court Arena
• Skewers • Heineken Bar • Coffee & Snacks • Gluten friendly & vegetarian food offerings available
Head to practice courts 16 & 17 to see the top players warming up! if there’s someone you really want to see, get there early to secure the best spot!
16
SPORTSNET’S TOP TIPS! The Sportsnet crew tell us what they like to do best on a warm summer’s day… (when not sitting courtside at the tennis of course!)
MEGAN CURWOOD Corporate Executive • Sit back & watch the street performers on the banks of the Yarra River whilst enjoying a coffee! • Enjoy afternoon tea in one of the famous cake shops in cosmopolitan Acland Street, St.Kilda. Between people-watching the constant stream of sometimes eccentric locals passing by & trying to decide which mouth-watering cakes to indulge in, Acland Street is a great way to spend an afternoon. • Have dinner at melba Restaurant at The Langham – Amazing buffet & cooking stations all freshly prepared in front of you! Oh and for all you dessert fiends the chocolate fountain is to die for….
oRneLLA ToneTTi Product Manager Queen Vic Night Market on a Wednesday! Perfect for a post-tennis wander, you can food trot over 60 global street food offerings, whilst sipping from your glass of sangria! Once you’ve eaten to capacity & drunk more than you should, The Night Market has collaborated with
FAST FACT
Multicultural Arts Victoria to put together a full program of live buskerstyle music over three designated stages; the soundtrack for your midweek summer evenings. • Gelato messina in Smith Street for amazing ice cream!! Just up the road from the Sportsnet Holidays office, all 8 ladies in the office can honestly say this is THE BEST gelato you will get in Australia, every lick AMAZING!! BROOKE HALLAM Corporate Executive • Just a stone’s throw from Flinders Street is a must-experience if you like Asian food with the ‘Wow’ factor, the much talked about Chin Chin. Shout out ‘Feed Me, (as the menu says) and for $66 they’ll just bring you dishes until you cannot fit another morsel in. Yes, it sounds too good to be true... but believe me, it’s true! • Cool, cluttered and collected, Hosier Lane is a perfect example of how Melbourne’s artistic minds wander… The street art along this bluestone cobbled lane is one of this city’s hidden gems. With its allure stemming from its seductive sangria of street art: cartoons, shrooms, vampire faces, Brixton briefcase, girls, monsters, ninjas and laughing skulls, you won’t know where to look! - The moonlight Cinema’s in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Once sundown hits, you can unpack your BYO picnics, or purchase any necessities from the bar, hire a bean bed and blanket for added comfort (otherwise known as ‘Gold Grass’) and be immersed: by film, by nature and by the awesome backdrop of the city skyline.
There are more than 1700 national and international accredited journalists, broadcasters and photographers at the Australian open.
VISIT THE HOME OF SPORT Take a tour of the MCG to access the inner sanctum of the stadium and walk on the hallowed arena. Visit the National Sports Museum after your tour and enjoy the interactive fun in the Game On zone. See website for details.
Open daily Gate 3, MCG T 61 3 9657 8879 W nsm.org.au
NOW OPEN AT BUNJILAKA ABORIGINAL CULRURAL CENTRE
MELBOURNE EXCLUSIVE — UNTIL 23 FEB BOOK NOW — DESIGNING007MELBOURNE.COM