Chaotic scenes and massive crowds at Melbourne Park have left thousands of tennis fans disappointed, unable to witness emerging Filipino superstar Alexandra Eala's first-round match at the Australian Open.
Court Scheduling Sparks Outrage
The surprise decision to schedule Eala's match against American Alycia Parks on the mid-sized Court 6 proved wildly unpopular. Despite being a clash between world No.49 and No.99, Eala's immense popularity, particularly within Melbourne's strong Filipino community, guaranteed a huge draw.
Queues stretched for thousands of metres long before the match began, with fans hoping to secure one of the limited seats. Those who missed out were forced to watch on packed big screens outside the court area.
Prominent tennis journalist Jose Morgado called the decision "just dumb," while veteran reporter Ben Rothenberg labelled it an "unwise court placement." Many argued the situation could have been avoided by using a larger show court.
Electric Atmosphere Despite Defeat
Inside the court, the atmosphere was electric, with fans erupting for every point won by the 20-year-old phenom. Eala, a junior grand slam champion who enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2025, made a stunning start, winning the opening set 6-0.
However, Parks silenced the vocal crowd to turn the match around, eventually winning 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. Despite the loss, Eala's supporters cheered and chanted her name long after the final point. The player stayed on court for an extended period to sign autographs for her adoring fans.
Eala's breakout 2025 season included a landmark run in Miami with wins over major champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek. She broke new ground as the first Filipino player ever to reach the top 50 in the world rankings.
Record Crowds Cause Tournament-Wide Congestion
The court controversy unfolded amid broader crowd management issues at the season's first grand slam. More than 73,000 fans flooded Melbourne Park on the first day of the main draw, causing entry lines that stranded people for up to two hours.
The unprecedented demand forced tournament organisers to suspend sales of ground passes, leaving only more expensive tickets to main show courts available. Angry fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with some missing the opening matches of their sessions.
Tennis Australia and tournament boss Craig Tiley acknowledged the disappointment, admitting crowds had exceeded even their expectations. He urged attendees to come prepared, have tickets ready, and download their passes to speed up entry. Extra resources have been deployed to ensure smoother access.
The tournament's expansion to a three-week format in 2026, including an "opening week" for qualifying, has already paid off. Attendance soared to a record 217,999 for the opening period, smashing the previous mark of 116,528 set in 2025.
While queues at entrances like Birrarung Marr were lengthy in the morning, they settled after midday. Some fans, like John Parr from Brisbane, took the delays in stride, calling queuing "part of the experience" of the Australian Open.
