- Craig Tiley is catering for tennis fans
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley has revealed his bold plans to redevelop the Melbourne Park precinct in a bid to deliver a better experience for fans.
Tiley, who has been tournament director of the Grand Slam since 2006, is considering ‘sinking’ the courts into the ground at the venue, which would offer spectators world-class views down onto the action.
‘Our objective is the quality of the experience of our fans,’ Tiley said on Monday.
‘The future plan we have for one precinct [courts five to 15] is to sink the courts into the ground even further and raise the stands on the sides and be able to walk around the top.
‘We are willing to make an investment in infrastructure.’
And with record attendance numbers anticipated this year, Tiley is confident supporters at the ‘Happy Slam’ will be on their best behaviour.
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley has revealed his plans to redevelop the Melbourne Park precinct by sinking the courts into the ground so fans can look down on the action (pictured, Jannik Sinner after winning the men’s singles crown last year)
Tiley, who has been tournament director of the Grand Slam since 2006, wants to change the face of Melbourne Park
With record attendance numbers anticipated this year, Tiley is confident supporters at the ‘Happy Slam’ will be on their best behaviour (pictured, action from Rod Laver Arena in 2025)
‘I have a great deal of trust and confidence in our Australian fans particularly, they understand sport,’ he added.
‘[But] we will be very clear – anyone that comes on the site and wants to disrupt the enjoyment of the fan next to them or anywhere, they are not welcome and they will be removed.
‘Our security team have been instructed to do that quickly, we have no tolerance for disruptive behaviour.’
Tiley has also backed local drawcard Nick Kyrgios for his decision not to accept a wildcard into the men’s singles.
‘We work closely with Nick’s team. It was a decision way before the start of the summer that if he felt ready to play a three out of five-set match… and if he felt he wasn’t ready for that then he was going to make the decision not to accept a wildcard,’ Tiley said on Monday.
‘[It is the] right decision, in my view. I watched him play his singles and his doubles (in Brisbane) and you need to be 100 per cent to go out there and compete.
‘He’s doing the right thing for his body if he’s going to play this year.
‘And he’s certainly going to play. He’s going to play doubles with Thanasi [Kokkinakis] and he’ll make a decision about mixed doubles as well.’
The main draw of the Australian Open begins on January 18.
