MELBOURNE, January 31, 2017
Following a fortnight of world class Grand Slam action and thrilling off-court entertainment, the Australian Open 2017 closed with Roger Federer winning his fifth title in Melbourne in a fantastic men’s singles final against Rafael Nadal.
On-court action
World No.2 Serena Williams (USA) won her 23rd Grand Slam crown with victory over world No.17 and sister Venus Williams (USA) 6-4 6-4. Serena was presented the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup by tennis legend HanaMandlíková (CZE) on the 30th anniversary of her 1987 title win
Fourth seeds John Peers (AUS) and Henri Kontinen (FIN) claimed their maiden Grand Slam doubles title, defeating [3] Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) 7-5 7-5
Second seeds Lucie Šafářová (CZE) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) took out the women’s doubles, posting a 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 win over [12]Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) and Shuai Peng (CHN)
Abigail Spears (USA) and Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) defeated number two seeds Sania Mirza (IND) and Ivan Dodig (CRO) 6-2 6-4 to win the mixed doubles title
Fifteenth seed Hungarian Zsombor Piros won his first Grand Slam juniors title, defeating [4] Yshai Oliel (ISR) 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the boys’ singles
Eleventh seed Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated top seed Rebeka Masarova(SUI) 7-5 1-6 6-4 to win the girls’ singles title
Chinese pair [4] Yu Hsiou Hsu (TPE) and Lingxi Zhao (CHN) overcameFinn Reynolds (NZL) and Duarte Vale (POR) 7-6(8) 4-6 [10-5] to take out their first Grand Slam junior doubles crown
Third seeds Bianca Andreescu (CAN) and Carson Branstine (USA) defeated Maja Chwalinska (POL) and Iga Swiatek (POL) 6-1 7-6(4) to claim the junior girls’ doubles title
Dylan Alcott (AUS) won the quad wheelchair singles title for the third consecutive year 6-2 6-2 over Andy Lapthorne (GBR)
Gustavo Fernandez (ARG) and Yui Kamiji (JPN) took out the men’s and women’s wheelchair singles titles respectively. Second seeds Joachim Gerard (BEL) and Gordon Reid (GBR) won the men’s wheelchair doubles, while [1] Jiske Griffioen (NED) and Aniek Van Koot (NED) claimed the women’s wheelchair doubles. Andy Lapthorne (GBR) teamed with David Wagner (USA) to win the quad wheelchair doubles
Twelve Grand Slam champions contested the singles main draw: [1] Andy Murray (GBR), [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB), [4] Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI), [7] Marin Cilic (CRO), [9] Rafael Nadal (ESP), [17] Roger Federer (SUI), [1] Angelique Kerber (GER) [2] Serena Williams (USA), [4] Garbine Muguruza (ESP), [8] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), [13] Venus Williams(USA) and [18] Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Fifty-one nations were represented among the 256 players competing in main draw singles. There were 39 countries represented in the men’s singles, including 14 players from the USA, and 38 in the women’s singles draw, including 18 players from the USA. With 32 players in action the USA was the most represented nation overall
A total of 573 players from 65 nations competed across all events, including juniors, wheelies and legends
Milos Raonic (CAN) sent down the fastest serve of the tournament so far at236km/h
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) has served the most aces of any player in the men’s draw so far with 119 to his name
[2] Serena Williams (USA) and Naomi Osaka (JPN) posted the fastest serve in the women’s draw at 198km/h
[2] Serena Williams (USA) served the most aces of any female player with54 in total
Eighteen Australians took part in the main draw singles, with eight players advancing to the second round, three to the third round and one to the fourth round
Aussie [27] Bernard Tomic won his way into the third-round with wins overThomaz Bellucci (BRA) and Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) before falling to Daniel Evans (GBR)
Australian rising-star [22] Daria Gavrilova won her way to the fourth round with wins over Ana Konjuh (CRO), Naomi Broady (GBR) and [12] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) before falling to [5] Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Seventeen former top 10 players – including six former world No.1s: Carlos Moya (ESP), John McEnroe (USA), Patrick McEnroe (USA), Arantxa Sanchez (ESP), Lindsay Davenport (USA), Martina Navratilova (USA) – contested the Australian Open Legends tournament.
Attendance
For the first time in history, attendance in the first week surpassed 500,000 fans with 503,382. It beats the previous record of 496,859 for Australian Open 2016
Coopers Saturday on the middle weekend of the tournament was the busiest of any day/night in tournament history, with 82,909 fans on site at Melbourne Park
Nine sessions drew a record crowd including the first Monday night, first Wednesday day and night, first Thursday day, first Saturday day, second Tuesday night, second Wednesday night and second Thursday day and night
The tennis family including players and their entourages, tournament guests, officials and staff generated more than 17,100 hotel room nightsin Melbourne across December and January
More than 1800 tennis fans sailed to Melbourne Park on P&O Cruises’ fourth annual Australian Open cruise
Famous faces attended the event including: David Foster, Andy Lee,Richie McCaw, Eric Bana, Gary Ablett Jnr, Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel,Shane Warne, Kim Brennan, Michelle Bridges, Natalie Cook, Leisel Jones, Olympia Valance, Joel Creasey, Nick Farr-Jones, Brad Wing,Alisa Camplin-Warner OAM, Lauren Phillips, Leigh Montagna, Ricky Ponting, Alastair Clarkson, Lana Wilkinson, Nathan Buckley, Mack Horton, Jonathan Brown, Matt Preston, Scott Pendlebury, Bernie Vince, Adam Gilchrist, Marcus Bontempelli, Jason Johannisen, Barry Hall, Lauren Brant, Alicia Loxley, Billy Brownless, George Calombaris,Andy Roddick, Mick Malthouse, Neale Daniher, Kevin Pietersen,Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Nick Riewoldt, Jarryd Roughead, John Hastings, Mark Turnbull, Steve Moneghetti, Cate and Bronte Campbell,Tommy Little, Livinia Nixon, Tom Boyd, Rhys Stanley, Jon Stevens,Moana Hope and Peggy O’Neal
The Australian Open held its second annual Celebration of Inspirational Women event as part of women’s semifinals day. Former Australian Open champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley was the special guest at the event along with some of the most inspirational women, including USTA President and CEO Katrina Adams, Jo Burston from Rare Birds, TV presenterIndira Naidoo and Olympic gold medallist Kim Brennan.
Fans at AO Open Sessions were entertained by headline music acts Birds of Tokyo, Tkay Maidza, Superband with Jons Stevens and Ross Wilson, Missy Higgins, The Living End, Jimmy Eat World, Peking Duk,DMA’S, The Temper Trap and more.
Media
More than 418 journalists and 182 photographers from 292 media outlets provided detailed coverage of the Australian Open, including 293international media from 55 different countries
There were 1308 broadcast personnel including 489 international broadcast personnel from 13 international broadcast groups, 334 domestic broadcast personnel from one domestic broadcaster and 19 domestic news access groups
There were 287 print, radio and online media and photographers from 14 different Asia Pacific nations on site for Australian Open 2017. The largest contingent of non-broadcast accredited media travelled to the event fromUniting Kingdom (33), Japan (32), followed by Germany (25)
More than 50 colour media opportunities took place across the two weeks. Highlights include Mischa Zverev, Caroline Wozniacki and Dustin Brownmeeting some fury Aussie animals, Stan Wawrinka soaring to new heights with a scenic helicopter tour over Melbourne, and Svetlana Kuznetsovavisiting Melbourne’s iconic Luna Park. Aussies Alex De Minaur cooled off at South Melbourne Life Saving Club while Daria Gavrilova delighted the Australian Open’s smallest fans on ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Day
More than 1,000 press conferences took place during the tournament with a record 25 pre-tournament
New Australian Open brand assets were downloaded 2588 times by media and broadcasters around the world.
Host broadcast
Tennis Australia’s Host Broadcast team produced more than 840 matches live, up from 641 in 2016, including all main draw, juniors, legends andwheelchair matches plus countless practice sessions
In its third year of managing the Australian Open host broadcast, Tennis Australia provided the most comprehensive broadcast coverage of any Grand Slam including up to 16 match courts boasting coverage of all matches in all draws – including main draw singles, doubles, mixed doubles, juniors, qualifying, wheelchair and legends
The host broadcast team covered 12 practice courts – eight outside courts with dedicated cameras plus one camera inside across four indoor courts
In a first for any tennis tournament worldwide and sporting event in Australia, Australian Open 2017 featured a Hawkeye 4K Ultra Motionbroadcast in all three stadiums
More than 130 individual host broadcast cameras across Melbourne Park captured all the action on and off the court beating previous years and any other Grand Slam
Total 362 staff and freelance crew plus 20 talent across the host broadcast and world feed on-site
Custom built walk-on at Rod Laver Arena with smaller replicas at Margaret Court Arena and Hisense Arena.
Tournament operations
The Yonex stringers hut restrung 5297 racquets, using more than 63 km of string
[2] Serena Williams (USA) had the most racquets restrung of all players in the main draw, sending 68 racquets to the stringers
380 ballkids between the ages of 12 and 15 participated including 333 from Victoria, 19 from interstate, 20 from Korea, six from China and two from France (Roland Garros)
There were 23 sets of siblings including four sets of twins amongst the Australian Open 2017 ballkids part of the Woolworths ballkid squad
Summer Leatitagaloa and Campbell Steedman received the Most Outstanding Ballkid Award for 2017, awarded to the top two ballkids each year
Players were transported by a fleet of 130 Kia cars during the tournament with more than 300,000 kilometres covered over 19,750 trips by 250 drivers and 23 operational staff
There was a total of 392 chair and line umpires officiating at the tournament including 90 from overseas and 131 from interstate
The Australian Open Shop sold over 90,000 accessories, 36,000 hats and28,000 t-shirts
Tennis fans consumed more than 150,000 Lavazza coffees
More than 30,000 Sushi Sushi packs have been purchased
More than 6.6 tonnes of pork shoulder have been consumed
More than ½ a tonne of yellow fish tuna has been consumed
More than 10,000 fish fillets have been served
More than 70,000 New York styled hot dogs have been bought
More than 25,000 Grill’d burgers have been sol
More than 15,500 souvas were sold at Gazi during the tournament
More than 120,000 Haagen Dazs ice creams have been consumed
More than 1,300 kg of corn chips and 1,800 kg of pork have been used to create more than 10,000 serves of nachos and tacos at Mamasita
More than 2.5 tonnes of beef was carved into rolls and wraps at theButcher’s Block restaurant in Margaret Court Arena
Players including world No.9 Rafael Nadal (ESP), quarterfinalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS), world No.8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), Sam Stosur (AUS) and Elena Vesnina (RUS) participated in video interviews forKia Open Drive. Videos can be viewed on the official Australian Open YouTube channel
Tennis Australia, Melbourne Olympic Parks and catering suppliersDelaware North employed 9279 staff, contractors and volunteers to deliver Australian Open 2017.
Information technology
Approximately 424,000 unique devices connected to AO Wi-Fi across the precinct
Approximately 44,000 unique users logged into the AO Wi-Fi with 130,440connected devices – an increase of 53 percent on 2016
The Australian Open network infrastructure handled approximately 24 Terabytes of internet traffic – a 53 per cent increase on 2016
337 Wireless Access Points deployed, 30 percent more Wi-Fi coverage than 2016
In the main draw there were 127,130 points, 19,932 games and 2141 setswere captured, analysed and distributed via the AO scoring system
Over 7,493 Practice Desk bookings, with Court 21 and Court 23 being the most popular
Over 19,400 transport bookings were made with an average of 811 per day
Over 57km of temporary network cabling
All data as at 8:00 pm AEDT, Sunday 29 January 2017 unless specified.
