2020 Australian Open: What To Wear From Ground Pass To Corporate

The Australian Open sees sports fans from all over the world flock to Melbourne to witness the largest yearly sporting event in the southern hemisphere.

At the very beginning of the Grand Slam calendar, every year, the Australian Open welcomes tennis royalty to compete for a share in a whopping $62 million in prize money.

Held at Melbourne Park, both men and women play in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, wheelchair, legends and even a junior championship making it the most popular of the Grand Slam events with more than 780,000 people attending in 2019.

This year from January 20th – February 2nd, the Australian Open will takeover Melbourne Park transforming it into a sports and entertainment hub with a variety of fun exhibits and for the entire family.

This year, the Australian Open Live Stage will also showcase both international and local performances from Billy Idol, Jessica Mauboy, Grinspoon, Veronicas and many more.

Are you a foodie?

There are also a number of dining experiences available at the Australian Open from Rockpool and Nobu, and you can see live cooking featuring Donna Hay, Sarah Todd, Analiese Gregory and Bo Duangporn.

Ladies events at the Australian Open include the Donna Hay all-female dining experience and the Girls Day Out where female performers will take on the live stage. Let’s not forget the fashion and style of the Australian Open also… we will get to that soon!

There is also plenty for the family to do at the Australian Open, with a dedicated Kids Day on January 18th, a huge ballpark and SkyFlyer for kids over 10 years.

Returning to the defend their titles are Novak Djokovic, who took out the prize in a three-set win over Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka who won a close game finish against rival Petra Kvitova.

I am really excited this year to see Australian Ashleigh Barty play.
Currently ranked No 1 in the world, Ash is competing in front of her home crowd off the back of her win at the French Open, and according to experts likely to face rival Serena Williams in the final.

From Ipswich in Queensland, 23-year-old Ash Barty has been playing tennis since the age of 4 years old. A self-described proud indigenous woman, Ash is a National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador for Tennis Australia and an ambassador for Banana Boat sunscreen promoting kids to be sun smart.

After a 41 year wait for an Aussie to take out the title, Ash Barty has reminded us all on an interview with Yahoo Sport “There are no certainties in sport and I think that’s the beauty of sport – anyone can be beaten on any given day and it’s about preparing and doing the best you can do on that day” Well we will all be cheering her on!

So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of when, where and how to get tickets, let’s talk style!

What To Wear

I want to start by saying that my favourite Australian Open accessory is sunscreen!
It’s not only going to keep you safe from the scorching Australian sun but will stop you from looking like a beetroot by lunchtime! Nothing stylish about that.

Temperatures in Melbourne in January can soar to 45 degrees, and while one day may be mild the next can be completely different… that’s Melbourne weather for you!

I also highly recommend wearing a hat, sunglasses and staying in the shade whenever possible as even with cloud cover, the UV factor can be very high.

Rod Laver and Margaret Court Arena both have retractable roofs but are usually reserved for absolute scorchers and wet weather, and remember when walking from court to court you can get very hot, so remember to drink a lot of water and stay hydrated!

While the hot weather may tempt you to wear beach style clothing, you should be aiming for a smarter casual style.

Consider minimal fuss, easy styles like tailored shorts, anything you can navigate stairs and squeezing between people in the stands easily in.
I am loving linen this season, it breathes, is on-trend and available in gorgeous neutrals that go with anything!

 

 

 

 

If you are heading to the big arenas for an evening match, take the opportunity to wear something a bit more special. After all, seeing the world’s best play to win is a special event! I would recommend checking the hourly weather forecast before you leave as the temperature in Melbourne can really fall off a cliff when the sun goes down. You may be surprised to find you needed another layer or even a jacket!

 

 

What to Bring

Essentials Checklist

• Sunscreen
• Water
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Comfortable Shoes
• Picnic Blanket or Towel for Grass
• Light or heavier layer
• Check the forecast – do you need a poncho or umbrella
• Snacks!

Tickets
Tickets are available via the Australia Open website https://ausopen.com/tickets
Ground Passes are $54 for adults and $5 for children and provide access to all of the outdoor courts, live stage, ballpark and practice village.
You can also purchase stadium tickets and depending on the event, time and seat selection prices will vary.

Getting There
We highly recommend public transportation via the free tram, or walking from Richmond, Jolimont or Flinders St train station.
Traffic in and around Melbourne Park is at a standstill come Australian Open time!
If you are keen on driving in, we suggest an Uber, which is an official partner of the event this year.

Due to the popularity and size of the Australian Open, there are five public entrance points with the following open times:

20 – 30 January: 10:00am
31 January: 2:00pm
1 February: 11:00am
2 February: 2:00pm

Each entrance is wheelchair and pram friendly and includes a security checkpoint and bag check so arrive with plenty of time to allow for this.

The best point to enter is at the City Entrance, which you can access via Tanderrum Bridge through Birrarung Marr.
Other entrances include:

Garden Square Entrance – opposite Rod Laver Arena tram stop – Route 70
GSO Entrance – Olympic Boulevard alongside Rod Laver Arena
Eastern Plaza Entrance – Above the Melbourne Arena tram stop – Route 70
Richmond Entrance Olympic Boulevard easiest from Richmond station
So I hope you have enjoyed my Australian Open round-up for 2020, and happy spectating!

PS. If you are looking for a unique styling experience, check out our stylist services at Chadstone Shopping Centre. Just 20 mins from the CBD, Chadstone is the largest shopping Centre in the Southern Hemisphere and is home to the top luxury and high street brands as well fantastic restaurants and a state of the art theatre complex! You can pre-book a styling session by visiting our website.

Cindy x