The Australian Open tennis

By Ben (Discover English Teacher)

The festival of tennis here in Melbourne is starting next week and running until 21 February. Despite problems around the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the world’s best players are in town to compete in the Australian grand slam tournament.

If you like tennis, then you will know all about the Australian Open, but if you don’t know much about it, you have a great opportunity to experience the thrill of competitive tennis live and to soak up the buzz of Melbourne Park during the Australian Open.

You may have noticed that tennis players are sometimes badly behaved. Australian tennis players are no exception. Nick Kyrgios is one of Australia’s best male tennis players, but sometimes he loses his temper on the court. He’s a very dynamic and exciting player to watch though. Another controversial Australian player is Bernard Tomic, who has said publicly that he doesn’t really like tennis and that he only plays for the money. He has qualified for the Australian Open for the first time in a few years, and it will be interesting to see if he tries his best.

Australia’s best player at the moment is Ash (Ashleigh) Barty, who is ranked number one in the world in the women’s singles rankings. She is very well-behaved on court and is always generous to her opponents.

If you want to experience a real Melbourne event, get down to Melbourne Park for the tennis. You can buy tickets from Ticketmaster here. Tickets start from $49 for a day or night pass. This year, because of COVID-19, the Australian Open will be divided into three different zones. When you buy a ticket, make sure you are aware of which zone you will be in. You will need to enter Melbourne Park from a specific entrance, and you won’t be allowed to move between the zones.

Remember to wear a hat and sunscreen and to bring a water bottle if you go during the day as you might need to sit in the sun! Bring a mask and remember to be COVID safe.