The Australian Open has now reached its conclusion, ending with fantastic drama after a slow start in Melbourne.
That slow start led to the Australian Open being labelled the “most boring” Grand Slam ever, but it definitely burst into life in the latter stages.
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev played the longest Australian Open semifinal ever, with their epic followed by another five-set thriller between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
Shortly after, the women’s Australian Open final between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina certainly didn’t disappoint, and neither did the men’s final between Alcaraz and Djokovic.
The Australian Open is the best Grand Slam… discuss!
Craig Tiley confirms big Australian Open changes for next year
The action has only just finished, but tournament director Craig Tiley has already been looking ahead to next year’s Australian Open.
He revealed on TNT Sports: “Have you got an hour? Everything is going to change. This whole bench [the players sit on at change of ends] is going to change. It’s going to be a performance seat.
“Players are going to sit in it and it’s going to automatically cool them, it will be like a pit lane between the changeovers.
“On the precinct we are going to have these two 70-degree screens with 8k quality. It is going to be an immersive experience for fans.
“They can see it in real life and on screens. And then, of course, we want to make this the centre of attention for players.
“They can get health and wellness and it’s going to be the assessment centre of the entire year for the month of January. And above other things we also want to pay the players more.”
Dubai and Qatar continue busy schedule as Australian Open concludes
Such physical changes will very likely be welcomed by the players, who often struggled in the intense Melbourne heat.
Player welfare is really important given those conditions, which are made more difficult by the players only just returning from pre-season after a very busy year on and off the court.
And of course, given the tennis prize money complaints from several high-profile stars, the increase will also be welcomed with open arms.
But there is an extremely long way to go in the schedule before the players make their return to Melbourne Park in 2027.
Do players need to be given more privacy at the Australian Open?
The Middle East Swing has already arrived on the WTA Tour, featuring the likes of the Abu Dhabi Open and back-to-back 1000 events in Qatar and Dubai.
On the ATP Tour, there are also tournaments in Qatar and Dubai among various others, including Davis Cup qualifiers.
There are ATP 500 events in Dallas, Rotterdam, Rio and Acapulco as well, while the French Open represents the next Grand Slam, starting in late May.
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