Melbourne is lucky to have the Open, and the Open is lucky to have Melbourne

Millions of people around the world have been treated to some first-class tennis from this year’s Australian Open, made all the more interesting by the emergence of a new crop of stars.

For so long the men’s draw has been ruled by the holy trinity of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic remains a force on tour but his dominance of the blue courts is no longer a fait accompli, as yesterday’s humbling clash with Jannik Sinner demonstrated.

Carlos Alcaraz, now 20, announced himself as a star when he became the first teenager in the Open era to claim the No.1 singles ranking. Alexander Zverev is playing excellent tennis, despite facing serious domestic abuse allegations. Third-ranked Russian Daniil Medvedev, 27, is the next-oldest top 10 player after 36-year-old Djokovic.

The crowd at the first round match between Thanasi Kokkinakis and Sebastian Ofner on John Cain Arena.

Andrey Rublev (26), Alexander Zverev (26), last year’s runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas (25), Holger Rune (20), Hubert Hurkacz (26) and Alex de Minaur (24) round out the top 10. Their relative youth is promising for tennis fans and those who plan to attend the Open in years to come.

There is similarly youthful promise in the women’s draw. At 25 and 21 respectively, the eminently likeable Aryna Sabalenka and Qinwen Zheng are almost certain to provide fans with a thrilling final at Rod Laver Arena tonight.

World No.1 Iga Swiatek is just 22. Semi-finalist Coco Gauff, like Alcaraz, is already a grand slam winner at 19. Elena Rybakina (24), Marketa Vondrousova (24) and Jelena Ostapenko (26) are the next youngest talents in the top 10.

These players will guarantee high-quality entertainment at the Australian Open for years to come, but for the hundreds of thousands of people who churn through the gates of Melbourne Park for this event each year, the explosive drama of heated court battles, triumphs and setbacks are an essential part of their love of the event, but not the sole ingredient.

The tournament is dubbed the ‘Happy Slam’ due to its carnival atmosphere, first-class facilities, enjoyable fan experience and Melbourne’s January climate, which has been only partly cooperative this year.

So strong is the Open’s allure that it is attracting a whole cohort of “eventists” who have little or no interest in the tennis, as Cara Waters and Stephen Brook reported this week.

Tennis Australia’s chief executive Craig Tiley has made no secret of his intention to innovate.

Allowing spectators to move in and out of the arena between each game was popular with crowds but rankled some players who pined for the previous rule of only allowing fans to move during longer breaks in play after every second game.

Dynamic ticket pricing was introduced and plans to deliver hamburgers to future spectators via drone were revealed.

A new two-storey courtside bar overlooking a “party court” with a rotating roster of DJs and close proximity to passing trains is challenging the “quiet please” traditions of tennis after 119 years of the tournament. Some players are fine with the set-up, others not so much.

The tournament was extended by a day, with a Sunday start. While that change did not deliver the promised earlier finishes to late matches, it did see an extra 87,705 people come through the gates and ensure the tournament will probably hit its target of 1 million visitors. Tennis legend John McEnroe didn’t mince words when he called the extra 15th day a “cash grab”.

Continuing to provide a simultaneously great experience for fans, players and TV viewers around the world is a difficult juggle and one that Tennis Australia won’t always get right.

Changes to ticketing that mean 12-year-olds are charged a full adult entry fee, for example, should be reconsidered. As should dynamic pricing that saw the cost of men’s final tickets soar to $6000. Ground passes — which make the tournament truly “open” and accessible — must remain affordable.

Tennis Australia has a social contract not only with fans but with Victorian taxpayers, who allow access to a 40-hectare parcel of prime publicly-owned land and help fund expensive redevelopments. Affordable access for local spectators is one way this support should be repaid.

Scheduling issues should also be solved for the benefit of fans who purchase tickets to the night sessions. They shouldn’t have to remain at the stadium until 3am or beyond to get full value from their expensive ticket.

On the whole, however, the tournament has been a resounding success. It has restated once again Tennis Australia — and Melbourne’s — ability to host world-class events and everyone involved should be congratulated for their efforts. The attendance numbers and the atmosphere in the city this past fortnight only confirm this success.

The city is lucky to have the Australian Open, just as it is lucky to have the support of the state.

It’s hard to believe that it was once a tired, poorly attended affair on the grass courts of Kooyong and came within a whisker of losing its grand slam status. This fact makes the Open’s current success even more impressive.

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