A recent rule change at this year’s Australian Open has brought both joy to fans and a difference of opinion among players.
by MOHAMMED AZMATHULLA
The new regulation permits spectators to enter the arenas and take their seats between each game, as opposed to the previous practice of allowing entry only during every second game when there is a change of ends. Typically, spectators desiring to enter the stadium during a match were required to wait in line at the nearest entrance until the next change of ends, a process that could last up to 10 minutes during closely contested games. This protocol aimed to prevent distractions to players during points as people navigated stairs and settled into their seats.
This year, the Australian Open is experimenting with a novel system, allowing fans to enter or exit the arena during the brief interval between games when there is no change of ends. Staff at the entrances of the two major arenas, Rod Laver and Margaret Court, confirmed that these arrangements were under trial. They noted that fans seemed pleased with the opportunity to re-enter the stadium swiftly after attending to necessities like using the restroom or purchasing food and beverages. Additionally, the implementation appeared to result in shorter queues.
Players have varied opinions on the new rule regarding the time spectators take to sit down between games. Novak Djokovic, a ten-time champion, expressed frustration during his first-round match on Rod Laver Arena, citing concerns about the duration spectators were taking to settle between games on Sunday night. Later, Djokovic admitted feeling “divided” about whether the new rule is a positive development.
“I did not know about that new policy or new rule,” mentioned the world No. 1 in his post-match press conference. “I understand the motive behind it is to enhance and improve the experience for fans. We do play for fans. We want fans to have a great thrilling experience of being out on the court.”
Djokovic highlighted the ongoing debate in professional tennis about the level of freedom spectators should have inside the stadium. In contrast to sports like football, where spectators are required to remain silent during play, tennis has been contemplating the extent of freedom fans should enjoy.
Frances Tiafoe, the American world No. 17 approaching his 26th birthday, had previously advocated for fans to have the ability to come and go, move around, and speak during matches, similar to practices in other sports such as basketball.
Djokovic said on Sunday night: “I understand that [sentiment], and I support it to some extent, but at the same time, all my career, all my life, I’ve been used to some kind of atmosphere, and when that changes, it kind of messes [you] up, it distracts you a bit.
“Today we lost quite a bit of time when they were letting people in to come to their seats even though it was not a changeover. My opponent would wait, so it was dragged [out] a lot.
“I don’t know if it’s really the best rule, but I do understand from the tournament and fans’ perspective, it’s probably better because they don’t want to wait, they want to come out, they want to enjoy every single point. So, I’m kind of divided between the two.”
Chief executive and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said the new arrangements were manageable and gave fans the opportunity to leave the stadium for food and drink without missing large chunks of the match.
“We’ve got to go on a bit of a journey, with the players and with the fans,” Tiley told Nine. “We’ve been doing it in the upper bowl of the stadiums for years, and we just want to bring it down to the lower bowl. Obviously, you’ve got to use discretion.
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