Tennis anyone? Whether you ?love? the singles, doubles or mixed doubles competition, the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the Southern hemisphere, the Australian Open, is certain to heat up Melbourne this January.

Considered the Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open matches begin on the 16th of January with final rounds concluding on the 29th. Two main courts, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena, host a majority of the matches where players volley day and night during fierce competition against the best tennis players in the world.

With a rich history of over 100 years, the inaugural tournament, firstly known as the Australasian Championships, took place in 1905 on a grass court of the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.??In time, the event faded into obscurity as top tennis players from around the world found it difficult to travel to Australia before the advent of air travel. Revived in 1988, the tournament moved to?the newly built National Tennis Centre at Flinders?Park, currently known as?Melbourne Park, to accommodate the?growing number of fans,?in part, because of the popularity of tennis legends like Andre Agassie, Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl.

So popular is the sport today, that in 2010 over 650,000 Aussies and travelers from around the world, gathered to cheer on their favorite competitors and ultimately watch Serena Williams come out on top in the singles and doubles competition. Roger Federer went on serve up a win in the singles competition and was handsomely rewarded with the coveted Norman Brookes trophy, named after the Aussie who was the first non-Briton to win the men?s singles at Wimbledon and was also a major figure in establishing the Australian Open, which he won in 1911.

Want to be a part of the action?? Call us to design a customized itinerary?around the excitement of the Australian Open and we will?weave your dreams into?the adventure of a lifetime.