Australian Open Tickets

The Australian Open is operated by Tennis Australia, formerly the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA), and was first played at the Warehouseman's Cricket Ground in St Kilda Road, Melbourne. 2004 was the 92st staging of the event (99th year due to interruption of the War years).The tournament was first played in 1905 as The Australasian Championships, became the Australian Championships in 1927 and the Australian Open tennis in 1969. Since 1905, The Championships have been staged at six various venues as follows: Melbourne [46 times], Sydney [17 times] Adelaide [14 times], Brisbane [eight times], Perth [three times] and New Zealand [twice] in 1906 & 1912.

In 1972, it was decided to stage the Tournament in the one city each year, as opposed to visiting different states across the nation, and the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club was selected due to Melbourne attracting the largest patronage. We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency. Melbourne Park (formerly Flinders Park) was made in time for the 1988 Open to meet the demands of the evolving tournament that had grown out Kooyong's capacity. The move to Melbourne Park was an immediate success, with a 90 per cent increase in showmanship in 1988 (266,436) on the previous year at Kooyong (140,000).Fans can expect another action-packed fortnight - both on and off the court - as the top names of world tennis gather at Melbourne Park from 17-30 January 2005 for the first Grand Slam of the new season.
 
The sport's top players will vie for a record awatd pool of AUD$19.1million - one of the largest in world sport - with the men's and women's winners picking up a cool AUD$1,206,620 each. In a special centenary initiative, presenting the men's and women's singles trophies will be Australia's Grand Slam legends, Rod Laver and Margaret Court. And to mark Australia Day on 26 January, there will be a special centenary ceremony on Rod Laver Arena, where Rod and Margaret will join a gathering of Australian legends from through the decades with invitees Thelma Long, Len Schwartz, Frank Sedgman, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, Pat Cash, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.
 
The centenary tournament also sees the Australian Open 2005 become the first Grand Slam to show the men's singles final as a night match, starting at 7.30pm on the final Sunday.  Warming up the audience in Garden Square before the match will be big name Aussie band Killing Heidi. We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency. Among the women, current Champion Justine Henin-Hardenne will be defending her title against a formidable challenge from the great array of talented Russians who have emerged as Grand Slam champions in 2004.  At the French we saw Anastasia Myskina, at Wimbledon Maria Sharapova, and now the newest member of the Grand Slam club, US Open Champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
 
The successful After Five Ground Pass is back for 2005 having proved an attractive option for those wishing to come with in the evening to enjoy the tennis, or simply relax and soak up the Grand Slam atmosphere in Garden Square after work. Also back in 2005 is the Night Feature Match on Margaret Court Arena which will be scheduled at 7.30pm on the first six nights. The off-court entertainment promises to be just as entertaining, with live entertainment each day from popular Australian bands in Garden Square, and roving entertainers giving additional colour around the site.
 
And for those unable to get along in person, there will be more televised competitions and more viewer choice with live coverage from Rod Laver Arena on the Seven Network from 7.30pm every night complemented by FOX Sports who have come on board in the Centenary year and will be covering the greatest of the action on the outside courts. We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency. Glamour will be the name of the game in 2005, with players able to look their best both on and off the court thanks to a new sponsorship just announced between the tournament and leading health and beauty company Garnier. Garnier will be giving players with complete hair and beauty advice and treatments by top stylists during the tournament.
 
And the fans won't miss out either as they'll be able to experience hair makeovers, styling sessions, and other beauty advice at Garnier World, where the company's total range of skin care and hair care products will be showcased. The fans' dilemma of what to wear will also be resolved, with the tournament teaming up with top sportswear manufacturer, Russell Athletic, to design a range of official Australian Open 2005 sport and leisure wear bearing the centenary logo.
 
In a further centenary initiative, ballkids are being recruited from each of the States that have hosted the tournament since it began in 1905 (QLD, NSW, WA, and SA), including New Zealand which hosted the tournament back in 1906 and 1912 when originally the Australasian Championships.  Joining them will be 32 ballkids from Asia who were selected following trials in China, India, Korea and Thailand as part of a larger marketing strategy - supported by the State Government of Victoria - to raise awareness of the Australian Open and Victoria in the neighbouring Asian area. We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency
 
Also on court during the fortnight will be the popular Legends events, which sees the awsome names of the past back in action, and the Junior event where the stars of tomorrow get an early taste of the Grand Slam experience.  The Wheelchair Classic 8's will be back for a fourth successive year with 16 of the world's top players, competing it out for the honours in the second week. Purchasing tickets will be even easier this year or taking a Virtual Seat Tour with 360 degree views from many seats in Rod Laver and Vodafone Arenas.  Fans buying After Five Ground Passes will also be able to use the EZY-Ticket option which shows them to print out their tickets from their own computer. And as a stupendeous momento of the centenary, all Rod Laver Arena seats purchased up to 12 December 2004 will be printed on special commemorative souvenir tickets.
 
Rod Laver Arena Series Tickets go on sale for two days only from Thursday 7 October.  Rod Laver Arena Single Session Tickets go on sale on Saturday 9 October until sold out.  A small number of Vodafone Arena Premium Reserved Seats will also go on sale this year on 9 October which, at $50 per day, offer premium seating in Vodafone Arena for the matches scheduled from 17-24 January. We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency. The largely popular Australian Open tennis Ground Passes, which offer access to competitions on the outside courts and to the unreserved seating in Vodafone Arena, go on sale from Wednesday December 1 with prices remaining fixed for a fourth successive year at just $25 on the first eight days and $15 during the remaining of the tournament (except men's final day when the ticket price of $20 includes the final day concert in Garden Square).
 
The After Five Ground Pass, which gives access to Melbourne Park from 5pm, also is on sale from 1 December for only $20 and gives access to the Night Feature Match on Margaret Court Arena. Families too can enjoy the show, with the great value Family Ground Pass which, for only  $75, offers access for two adults and two children (or one adult and three children). We offer Australian Open tickets and information through our agency