4 months ago
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The Australian Open's archetypal ceremonial opening ceremonial became the Roger Federer amusement connected the eve of the season-opening major.
There was Crowded House, the band, playing a acceptable of 4 hits. There was a afloat location — a capableness assemblage successful the 15,000-seat stadium.
Rod Laver, the large Australian subordinate of Grand Slam fame, was successful the house. The 87-year-old Aussie was sitting courtside successful Rod Laver Arena, the centre tribunal astatine Melbourne Park named successful his honour.
Federer, the six-time Australian Open victor and 20-time Grand Slam champion, partnered past champions Andre Agassi and past Ash Barty successful an accumulation doubles lucifer against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt arsenic the main diagnostic of the program.
It went to script, with Federer winning the archetypal constituent contempt framing a forehand and past emphatically finishing disconnected the triumph with a leaping overhead winner.
Novak Djokovic, who has won 10 Australian titles among his grounds 24 large championships, was determination to watch.
The Australian Open main gully singles competitions commencement Sunday. Djokovic plays his opening lucifer connected Monday (January 19, 2026).
Australian Open organizers turned the 2026 variation into a three-week festival of tennis, with 217,999 fans attending crossed six days to ticker exhibitions, qualifying and the 1 Point Slam earlier the main gully started.
Federer was backmost successful Australia for the archetypal clip since 2021, making the travel present due to the fact that helium retired from competitory tennis earlier helium could bash a farewell play tour.
“It truly genuinely means truthful overmuch to maine erstwhile radical similar Rocket [Laver] amusement up,” Federer said. “It's ace important to beryllium grateful” to earlier generations of stars.
