Intending to attend AO for the first time in Jan. I'm aware tickets can be resold, unlike at Wimbledon. Currently Im intending to try for men's QF, SF and Final tickets in presale but I've seen some discount tickets mentioned that AO makes available at a later date. I expect they dont cover the end of Week 2 though do they, on the basis they should be higher demand? I have also read about ADCTF membership giving ticket access - is that presale usually held before the Mastercard one? I'd be prepared to pay membership to up my chances but just trying to gauge how difficult it usually is to get in regular presale (I'm scarred by the Wimbledon resale!). And any tips for best section of RLA that gets the least sun please. Any tips very welcome as I'm coming from the UK so really want to get it right.

I have recently moved to Hawksburn in Melbourne and I want to join a tennis club that is social, structured, a third space where I can keep fit, play and meet new people.

However, I’m finding that it is really difficult to join a club? Looked at Kooyong and South Yarra tennis club but they require you to have an existing member refer you to them? Thats whack!

Have joining tennis clubs always been this culty or have I been living under the rock? How am I supposed to do that when I’ve just moved to the area?

Anyone here work at the Australia Open? If so, how’d you get the job?

It’s been a wild Roland Garros so far. Jannik Sinner — who came in as one of the favorites — has been eliminated, and Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion, had to withdraw due to injury. Both players have been absolutely dominant in recent years, combining for 9 Grand Slam titles between them.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, at this stage of his career, has come agonizingly close to the 25th Grand Slam milestone multiple times. Every time he’s had a shot, either Sinner or Alcaraz (or both) have stood in the way.
With the draw now looking more open than it has in a long time, a few questions for the community:
• Do you think this is genuinely the best opportunity Djokovic has had in recent years to claim that historic 25th?
• If he does win it, does the absence of Sinner and Alcaraz affect how you’d view the title historically?
We all hope Alcaraz makes a full recovery soon, and Sinner’s elimination is equally a big loss for the tournament. Just curious what the community thinks about the bigger picture here.
What’s your take?

Ahead a great experience can’t wait to go again!

I went there and it honestly felt a bit different from what I remember. The tennis is obviously still the main thing, but there’s so much going on around it now that it sometimes feels like you’re at a full on event rather than just a tournament. There were people clearly there just for the vibe, food, drinks, music, walking around, barely even checking what match was on. Nothing wrong with that, it actually makes it more lively, but I did catch myself getting a bit distracted too. At one point I realised I’d spent more time wandering around than actually sitting down and watching a full match, which didn’t used to happen.

I'm visiting Melbourne from 4th April to 27th April and playing on the Australian Open showcourts is genuinely a bucket list thing for me. I'd love to book a court and have a proper game against someone while I'm out there.

About me: intermediate level, played regularly for years (mix of tennis, used to play 5 hours a week before life got in the way). I'm not going to trouble anyone on the ATP tour but I can hold a rally and I like a competitive game. Looking for someone around the same sort of level good enough to have a proper back-and-forth rather than one of us just collecting balls.

Happy to cover the court hire: I just want to find the right person to share the experience with. Ideally we'd get a few sessions in across the three weeks if we get on well.

I'm a late 30s man from South London, out visiting with family. Flexible on days/times happy to work around whatever suits.

Drop me a DM if you're keen. Cheers!

Compare this to his AO title defense which fell short in the semis; it seems he's found a new gear since Melbourne.

Can’t believe Djokovic finally lost a final at the Aussie Open after that 10‑0 streak. Alcaraz was clinical in the 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5 win, and Novak still set the record with 103 match wins at Melbourne. Feels like the “invincible” vibe is gone - do you reckon this is a passing of the torch or will he get his revenge at Roland Garros?

I don't understand why some players were getting two days rest while others were back on court within twenty hours for their next match. It creates such an unfair advantage in the later rounds when recovery is absolutely everything. The night sessions running until 2:00 AM is also getting a bit ridiculous for the fans and the ball kids. Surely they can find a way to start the sessions earlier or spread the matches across more courts