Victoria has celebrated a record-breaking Australian Open, with crowds, economic gains, and international attention all hitting new highs. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos hailed the tournament as a triumph for both sport and the state’s economy.
“This is another shining example of why we are the events capital of Australia,” Dimopoulos said. “The 2026 Australian Open has been a great success, smashing attendance records, filling hotels, and shining the international spotlight on our city and state. It kickstarts a jampacked pipeline of major events, which supports our visitor economy and more than 288,000 Victorian jobs.”
Over three weeks, 1.368 million fans packed Melbourne Park, surpassing last year’s record of 1.2 million. Victoria’s transport network rose to the occasion, with almost 5,000 extra tram services, around 400 extra train services, 150 special buses, and free public transport on weekends making travel easier for visitors.
The economic impact of the Australian Open continues to dwarf other events. The tournament contributes over $565.8 million annually to Victoria’s economy, generating more than 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs, and has delivered $3.46 billion to the state over the past decade. Hotels, restaurants, and local businesses enjoyed a surge in trade, with January set to break the record for the highest number of room nights sold in Melbourne.
The action on court was just as historic. Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam, defeating 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic in a thrilling 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory. Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina captured her second Grand Slam title, overcoming world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the women’s singles final.
Doubles action also thrilled fans. In the men’s final, British pair Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison defeated Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7-6(7-4), 6-4, with Skupski claiming his fifth career Grand Slam doubles title. Belgian-Chinese duo Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang triumphed in the women’s doubles, coming back from an early 1–4 deficit to defeat Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6(4), 6-4, securing Mertens’ third Australian Open doubles crown and Zhang’s third major title.
The tournament kicked off with a record-setting Opening Week, welcoming more than 217,000 fans to qualifying matches, charity events, AO Live entertainment, and the first-ever Australian Open Opening Ceremony featuring tennis legend Roger Federer. Day 5 of the main draw alone saw 103,956 spectators attend, setting a new single-day attendance benchmark.
Dimopoulos said the record-breaking Australian Open underscored Victoria’s position as a global events powerhouse. “Major events drive our record-breaking visitor economy, which supports more than 288,000 jobs in Victoria. We are the only place on the planet with a Grand Slam, Grand Prix, NFL in-season games, the Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final, the race that stops the nation, gigs across the state, and world-class major events all year round.”
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