The Grand Slam You're Sleeping On

Ask any tennis fan which Grand Slam they'd most like to attend and nine times out of ten the answer is Wimbledon. The grass, the strawberries, the tradition — it has a mythology that none of the other three can quite match. And Wimbledon is genuinely brilliant. This is not an argument against Wimbledon.

But if you're deciding where to spend your money on a Grand Slam trip, the Australian Open is the correct answer. It has been for years and most people haven't caught up yet.

The Happy Slam Is Happy for a Reason

Roger Federer called it the Happy Slam, which is either excellent marketing or genuine affection, and in his case was probably both. The AO has a reputation among players as the most enjoyable tournament to compete at, and that energy transfers directly to the experience of watching it.

The venue is walkable from the Melbourne city centre along the Yarra River. The organisation is excellent. The grounds are spacious without being alienating. The food is genuinely good. The crowds are diverse — Australians, Europeans, and the entire Asian tennis-watching world — and the atmosphere is warm rather than stuffy. January in Melbourne is summer. Long days, warm evenings, and a city that knows how to enjoy itself.

The Ticket Problem Doesn't Exist Here

Getting Wimbledon tickets without either camping overnight or winning a ballot that opens nine months in advance requires serious planning or serious money. Roland Garros has a lottery system. The US Open night session finals sell out in minutes.

The Australian Open goes on sale in October on a first-come-first-served basis and the system is manageable. Early round sessions on Rod Laver Arena — including night sessions — are genuinely accessible to anyone who sets an alarm and logs on at the right time. This shouldn't be undervalued. The ability to actually secure a ticket to the world's best tennis without a secondary market premium is rarer than it should be.

January Is the Right Time to Travel

Every other Grand Slam has a scheduling conflict with something. Wimbledon clashes with summer school holidays and European travel high season. The US Open is back-to-school in New York. Roland Garros sits in the middle of the European summer when flights and hotels everywhere are already expensive.

January in Australia is shoulder season for European and American travellers, which means better value on flights and accommodation, a city that isn't overwhelmed, and the mild irony of escaping a northern hemisphere winter for Australian summer. If you've ever wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef, drive the Great Ocean Road, or spend a few days in Sydney, combining it with the AO in Melbourne is a genuinely compelling two-week trip

The Tennis Is Better in Week One

This is a contrarian take but it's defensible. The Australian Open in the first week, before the draw thins out and everyone consolidates onto Rod Laver, has some of the best multi-court tennis of any Grand Slam. Thirty-five outdoor courts running simultaneously, outer courts with standing room so close to the action you can hear the ball on the strings, and a grounds pass price that makes the whole day accessible to anyone.

Opening Week has been dramatically expanded in recent years. It's now a full festival before the main draw even starts, with open practice sessions, fan activations, and concerts on the grounds. The AO has genuinely committed to the idea that the experience outside the tennis matters as much as the tennis itself. They're right, and it shows.

One Honest Caveat

It is a long way from Europe. From London or Paris, you're looking at 22-24 hours of travel each way. That is not nothing and it's the only real argument against it.

But if you're going to do one Grand Slam trip properly, with enough time to feel the place rather than just tick the box, the Australian Open rewards the effort in a way that Wimbledon — for all its magnificence — sometimes doesn't. Wimbledon is an institution you attend. The AO is a party you join.

There's a difference, and it matters.

Ready to plan your Australian Open trip? We've curated hospitality packages across all rounds — from Opening Week to the Finals. [View Australian Open packages →]