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The Australian Open hasn’t officially started, but if the first day of qualifying in Melbourne is any indication, the Grand Slam is poised to break another attendance record.
A total of 29,261 fans were present at Melbourne Park on Monday, a record opening day for the event, according to multiple reports. The 2025 Australian Open drew a record 1.22 million fans over three weeks.
The first week of Grand Slam tournaments consists of qualifying matches and practice sessions for players who have secured main draw spots. This typically means that opening-week attendance is significantly lower than main draw weeks.
About 1.1 million fans attended the Australian Open main draw last year, while 116,528 fans attended the opening week. But the tournament expects close to 300,000 fans for its opening week this year as it has put an emphasis on new attractions intended to draw additional spectators.
Multiple reports indicated there was an influx of families at Melbourne Park after the tournament gave free grounds access to children under 12 years old for the first time. Tickets typically start around $10 ($15 AUD) for children and $13.50 ($20 AUD).
The organizers also expanded on the 1 Point Slam tournament it started in 2025, which is an exhibition where amateur tennis players can compete against professionals for a shot at a cash prize. Qualifiers have one rally to try to score against a professional. The cash prize for the 1 Point Slam this year is $1 million, up from $60,000 in 2025.
Last year’s event featured just one top 10 player, Andrey Rublev, while this year’s exhibition will feature the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, and Australia native Nick Kyrgios.
The increased focus on the opening-week event comes after the 2025 US Open made significant tweaks to its mixed doubles format in an effort to bring in more attention. The controversial 2025 mixed doubles tournament saw an increased grand prize of $1 million, from about $200,000 in 2024, with teams consisting mostly of top-ranked single players.
The mixed doubles event was controversial in part because it was not an exhibition and is considered an official US Open tournament. But it ultimately helped the only U.S.-based Grand Slam attract its largest week-one audience.
The 2025 US Open drew 239,307 attendees during its opening week last year, more than double the 2025 Australian Open. The Grand Slam drew 1.14 million total attendees over three weeks, a US Open record.
The Australian Open officially starts Jan. 18, though it has been promoting that the tournament runs from Jan. 12 to Feb. 1. The extended timeline has drawn criticism from some, accusing the Australian Open of deceptively marketing its tournament to fans.
The French Open and US Open websites do the same, indicating their tournament schedule encompasses the full three weeks, including qualifying week. Wimbledon’s website promotes only the dates of the main draw.
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