Ursula Tennis was part of AO 19 for the first time since 2012. Australian Open is most likely the most fan-friendly Grand Slam of the year. Melbourne Park (home to Australian Open) is located just a short 15 minutes stroll from downtown. I recommend staying anywhere downtown or close to the Yarra river for easy access to tennis stadium.
During my one week trip to Melbourne, I was able to attend some top notch matches. Seeing Roger Federer and Nadal play their opening rounds was a great tennis experience. The highlight of the tournament was being in the player's box being for Tamara Zidansek match against Naomi Osaka. Young Slovenian was 4-2 up in the second set, having a chance to stanch a set against a future champion was extremely impressive. Another great match was Aljaz Bedene against Alex Zverev on Rod Laver Arena, seeing the match from player's box was an experience hard to match.
I was very lucky to be part of the player support/coaching team for WTA Slovenian player Tamara Zidansek. This gave me a chance to observe all the top players off-court (players restaurant and lounge) and have insight into their daily routines. Most of the top players follow a very strict regime when it comes to warm-up, a healthy diet and fitness workouts.
The grounds of Australian Open have changed dramatically in the last few years. Improvements to Rod Laver and Margeret Court Arena are superb. Fans also have a chance to participate in several concerts, restaurants, and bars that are set up on the grounds of the open. There is not a dull moment either during the day or night at the AO. I highly recommend anyone planning to visit Australia and Melbourne to try to combine the trip with Australian Open. It is an experience you will never regret.
