The Australian Open 2024 has implemented a new rule that allows crowds to come and go from matches without having to wait for a change of ends and players are struggling to adjust to the decision.
The first week of the Australian Open 2024 is underway. The tournament, which marks the first major slam on the calendar, has started off surrounded by controversy following a new rule change to the crowd.
For the first time in a major tournament, spectators will be able to come and go from the courts and arenas whenever they please. Typically, tournaments only allow crowds to leave during each change of ends, meaning they can be stuck lining up outside the courts for up to half an hour at times.
And while some players are unfazed by the change, others have slammed the tournament for the new rule.
Australian player Jordan Thompson put his own country on blast during his first-round match, shouting at the umpire for struggling to control the crowd.
“Oh, my god. This is the wokest tournament ever,” exclaimed Thompson while on court.
Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic was asked what he thought of the new rule change during his first-round post-match press conference. The champion revealing that he is still grappling with the change as it is something he has never had to deal with during his career.
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“I understand that [sentiment], and I support it to some extent, but at the same time, all my career, all my life, I’ve been used to some kind of atmosphere, and when that changes, it kind of messes [you] up, it distracts you a bit.”
Djokovic then elaborated further, adding, “Today we lost quite a bit of time when they were letting people in to come to their seats even though it was not a changeover. My opponent would wait, so it was dragged [out] a lot.
“I don’t know if it’s really the best rule, but I do understand from the tournament and fans’ perspective, it’s probably better because they don’t want to wait, they want to come out, they want to enjoy every single point. So, I’m kind of divided between the two.”
In response to the backlash, Chief Executive and Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley defended the move to allow fans to come and go as they please during matches.
“We’ve got to go on a bit of a journey, with the players and with the fans,” Tiley told Channel Nine. “We’ve been doing it in the upper bowl of the stadiums for years, and we just want to bring it down to the lower bowl. Obviously, you’ve got to use discretion.
“We also [don’t] want our fans to go out and get something to eat or drink and then have to wait three games, five games before they can come back in. It doesn’t make any sense.”
