The sun blazes, drinks flow freely, and cheers ripple along the edges of Melbourne’s CBD as the Australian Open signals summer in Australia’s sporting capital. The year’s first Grand Slam begins with its much-hyped “Opening Week,” even before the main draw starts. Yet amid record qualifying crowds, fans are questioning what they call a misleading marketing ploy before the tournament officially gets underway.

Known for breaking records year after year, the 2026 Australian Open has begun with major momentum. Stadiums are already close to full during qualifying. The scenes underline how much the tournament has evolved. New additions to ‘opening week’ now include live music, fan zones, and daily entertainment across Melbourne Park.

On Monday, the scale of interest became clear. An X account called The First Serve shared attendance figures from the first day of qualifying. A total of 29,261 fans entered Melbourne Park. That number shattered the previous record of 7,543 and was nearly four times higher than last year.

The surge came despite a modest on-court lineup. Bernard Tomic was the most recognisable name scheduled that day. Still, crowds poured in, showing that the event itself has become the attraction, not just the players.

Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley openly embraces this approach. “Our objective is we want to own January,” he says. Speaking at a sponsor activation, the atmosphere suited bold ambition. “We’re intense, and we’re intense because we’re 21 days, every day.”

Tiley believes qualifying now feels like part of the main event. “It doesn’t feel like it’s the first day of qualifiers, it feels in many ways like it’s the first day of the event,” he says. “But this is the first day of 21 days of activity, entertainment, sport.”

The expanded week features charity exhibitions, concerts, and promotions. Hot Chip sold out a show on Tuesday night. The Presets play on Friday. Fans are also drawn by the One Point Slam and a new opening ceremony featuring Roger Federer.

Financial growth has followed. Tennis Australia’s annual revenue rose by $67 million last year to $460 million. Tiley insists the focus is broader than profit. “We are an event about getting people to pick up a racket and play,” he says. “We’re always going to be about promoting the game and providing opportunities for players.”

Attendance numbers support that vision. Opening week drew nearly 90,000 fans in 2024 and over 116,000 last year. Tiley expects that to double or triple. Yet despite booming crowds, some fans are now criticising what they call a misleading marketing strategy behind the Open’s ‘opening week’ surge.

Fans slam Australian Open marketing tactics amid record qualifying crowd

After ‘The First Serve’ post went public on X, fans quickly flooded the comments. Many expressed confusion and frustration over how the Australian Open marketed its qualifying week. 

One fan admitted to nearly buying the wrong tickets. “I’d consider myself pretty clued on when it comes to tennis, but even I had ‘Opening Week’ ground passes in my cart thinking they were Day 2 tickets (the ticket with cut copy was about the same as a ground pass last year). Very misleading, almost bought them,” the fan wrote.

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Another user questioned the intent behind the promotion. “Most of them thought it was the start of the tournament, that’s how it’s been cheekily marketed,” the comment read. The wording sparked debate about whether the confusion was accidental or deliberate.

Until 2024, qualifying matches were free to attend. That has now changed. Ground passes cost $14 per day, narrowing the gap to the $44 price during the main draw. Some fans believe this shift is central to the backlash.

A “kids go free” promotion helped boost numbers on the opening day. The sunny weather added to the festive mood. Vendors stayed busy, despite high prices inside the venue. Drinks and food were far from cheap, with $5 for a 600ml soft drink and $11 for a 425ml Balter XPA.

Food prices also caught attention. A small pizza costs $13, while chicken tenders are priced at $9.38. Wednesday night’s event will feature Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios, alongside Steve Waugh, Karl Stefanovic, and Andy Lee, and requires a $19.48 ticket.

More criticism followed online. “There would be a lot of people there that don’t realise the tournament doesn’t start till Sunday. The way they have branded it as “Opening Week” was sneaky, and the ticketing website is very misleading,” one fan wrote.

Others were harsher. “Absolute cash grab by the Aus Open. Qualifying should be free as it used to be,” another added. Some also questioned rising prices. “But what is the reason? Main draw day too expensive?” Ground passes for the main draw now cost $43.35 from January 18. 

As fan reactions continue to pour in, the question remains: What do you make of the Australian Open’s advertising strategy that drew significantly larger crowds this year?