Is the Australian Open too early in the year?

[AlecG]

To me it seems a bit crazy to cram 5 tournaments for each gender into 2 weeks starting on New Years Day and ending the day before the Australian Open starts: United Cup, Brisbane, Auckland, Adelaide and Hobart/Hong Kong).

For comparison, the US Open has the same number of hard court tournaments spread over 5 weeks instead of 2 weeks in the lead up.

 

[ibbi]

Yes, but I guess the idea is they want to keep it during the school holidays, so it's unlikely to move, as much sense as it would make to do so.

 

[Tano]

Traditions outweigh common sense, as can often be seen in an industry where commercial value predominates over the health of the athletes, who are the true protagonists of sporting events.
It is almost impossible for there to be a major change in the tournament dates, the closest was in 2021 and its three-week delay due to the Coronavirus quarantine period that caused the start of the first Major of the season to be delayed.

 

[tennis3]

They could just move AO to Indian Wells.

 

[AlecG]

Yes, but I guess the idea is they want to keep it during the school holidays, so it's unlikely to move, as much sense as it would make to do so.

Ah, of course. There weren't many kids in the crowd when I went (from what I can remember), but I guess that's it. I think there need to be more weekend long micro tournaments that start Friday night and finish on Sunday arvo, that way they could be held in Aus right after the AO and get big crowds.

 

[AlecG]

They could just move AO to Indian Wells.

Nah. Move IW and Miami to after Wimbledon so that the clay and grass season can start immediately after AO in Australia/Asia. All we need is clay and grass courts that actually have stands.

 

[Bartelby]

TV channels usually devote high summer to sports programming and start the usual dull fare "after the tennis", so it's not just school holiday crowds that are the issue.

 

[ollinger]

Traditions outweigh common sense, as can often be seen in an industry where commercial value predominates over the health of the athletes

If tradition held sway, the AO would still be in December

 

[Tano]

If tradition held sway, the AO would still be in December

If it were in December, there would be player declines every year and the global audience would decrease, which is obviously not convenient from a commercial point of view.

 

[nighthawkrr]

They could just move AO to Indian Wells.

Slams should be moved to the country of the winners.

 

[BumElbow]

YES! It's too hot in Melbourne in January. And, the players need a longer rest period between the year end and new year tournaments.

 

[Bartelby]

It's not that hot in Melbourne in January outside of a heatwave, so a more sensible heat rule could take care of that problem for the most part.

The weather is worse in February, but it would be better in March. However, that is not commercially better either for Melbourne or Indian Wells.

 

[Open Stance]

Too cold in Europe to start clay season in March. Not sure how well the grass would hold up in London in late May / early June. Way too hot in IW and Miami in July.

 

[ollinger]

If it were in December

the global audience would decrease, which is obviously not convenient from a commercial point of view.

actually, tour revenue could INCREASE with the vacated two weeks in January leaving room for another premium tournament somewhere, maybe that grass 1000 people here strangely lust for. I vote for South Africa to have it.

 

[AlecG]

It's not that hot in Melbourne in January outside of a heatwave, so a more sensible heat rule could take care of that problem for the most part.

The weather is worse in February, but it would be better in March. However, that is not commercially better either for Melbourne or Indian Wells.

Average temperatures in February are actually slightly cooler on average, not to mention at the very end of Feb, but school holidays are over by then.

 

[Bartelby]

I always found February hotter for the simple reason that there was more persistent heat. January was more up and down. Things may have changed recently.

School holidays used to continue into the first week of February, so it's not beyond the bounds of doability to shift the Open by one or two weeks. But to what end?

Average temperatures in February are actually slightly cooler on average, not to mention at the very end of Feb, but school holidays are over by then.

 

[AlecG]

Too cold in Europe to start clay season in March.

Maybe, but it starts in February in the Southern Hemisphere, so it could certainly be expanded there, and probably anywhere else south of Estoril.

Not sure how well the grass would hold up in London in late May / early June.

I don't think anyone was suggesting moving the British grass tournaments to late May, early June.

Way too hot in IW and Miami in July.

Yep. If they were to be moved, just before US Open with one week break would make the most sense.

Speaking of the US Open, it seems to start the day the school holidays *end*? That seems to suggest they could do the same in Australia...

 

[Crocodile]

I think maybe extend the school holidays by an extra week and start the AO on the 21st.
I would eliminate the United Cup and run the smaller tournaments starting from Boxing Day.
I would go Hobart, Brisbane and Auckland from 26th to NYE and then run Sydney and Perth from NYD to the 7th, then Adelaide, Canberra and Launceston from the 8th to 14th followed by Kooyong Classic leading into the AO.
I also think that Sydney and Gold Coast should hold indoor events during the year;

 

[AlecG]

School holidays used to continue into the first week of February, so it's not beyond the bounds of doability to shift the Open by one or two weeks. But to what end?

There are a couple of issues it would solve. For the players they currently have to start on New Year's Day if they want to get a tournament in before AO that gives them a week break. This contributes to the problem of getting very little off season and means they can't enjoy New Year's Eve or New Year's Day with family or friends at home which is a big thing in some countries.

The other problem is that the Australian and New Zealand tournaments and Hong Kong 250 *and* AO qualifying are all crammed into a two week period from New Years Day until the start of AO, and most players want a one week break before AO, so very few high level players are going to play Adelaide, Auckland, or Hobart now.

But I'm now thinking December right before Christmas might be better for AO and the other Australian tournaments just before that, then let them have an off season during January and Feb. It's a bit crazy to have the Asian swing be separate from the Aus swing because it's the same time zone. Currently they have to come to Asia, get jet lag, go back home, get jet lag if it's not in Asia, then back to Aus (same time zone as Asia), more jet lag. Pretty unfair on the players.

Honestly, I don't know if this would help Aus tennis because it'd be end of the season when players are tired (at least if they overdo it in the lead up) but it'd be better for the players overall because they'd skip two rounds of jet lag and get a proper off season and holidays.