When tallying up which personalities have attended the Australian Open the most often, this column’s statisticians think it’s a toss-up between a) AFL golden couple Josh Daicos and Annalise Dalins; and b) Jayne Hrdlicka.
The former Tennis Australia chair officially left the governing body when her term expired before going on to lead the ASX-listed liquor giant Endeavour Group on January 1. But it would appear that the new gig has not precluded her from weighing in on Tennis Australia’s decision-making – at arm’s length, of course.
Hrdlicka is not on the books in any capacity at Tennis Australia, which runs the Open. So imagine our surprise when we heard she is still advising the organisation, according to two sources familiar with her arrangement, speaking to Open Season on the condition of anonymity to tell us things that they shouldn’t.
What is unclear, however, is whether the Endeavour boss – who has taken on a role few in corporate Australia would be envious of, given the waning patience of its investors for better results – is advising Tennis Australia’s board or its chief executive, Craig Tiley.
“[Hrdlicka] is providing advice on request on some strategy matters re global tennis,” a Tennis Australia spokesman told Open Season, officially confirming the unofficial relationship.
Certainly, her ongoing presence at the Australian Open has been noted around the grounds at Melbourne Park by obsessives such as ourselves. Hrdlicka’s presence in the premium stands has even rivalled Melbourne’s fame-hungry influencers for frequency. It’s giving John and Janette Howard at the Sydney 2000 Olympics vibes.
Hrdlicka was a guest of her successor, Chris Harrop, now chair of Tennis Australia, at the organisation’s exclusive O lounge on the first night of competition.
And last week, Hrdlicka was in the stands alongside her old favourite, former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, before joining Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge to watch Italy’s Jannik Sinner take on Aussie James Duckworth the following day.
Most recently, on Wednesday night, she was back, perched only a stone’s throw from Harrop, to watch Sinner face off with the United States’ Ben Shelton.
Hrdlicka’s omnipresence at Tennis Australia is concurrent with, but not causal to, the swirling chatter surrounding the governing body, as speculation about Tiley’s future intrigues everyone from corporate guests at the Club 1905 to the ballkids.
As regular readers would already be aware, Tiley is in the frame to run the US Open.
In the opening days of the tournament, we revealed that Tiley has a contract in his hot little hands, with not so much as a whisper from his employer on the situation.
But with Hrdlicka still in the picture, and Tiley’s future an open question, behind-the-scenes movement at Tennis Australia is equal to the Open’s on-court action.
Marriott eyes Open riches
Silver service banquets. A parade of celebrities and sporting greats. Front-row seats.
The Australian Open has become a carnival for the nation’s biggest brands to spend big to woo clients and win customers, with a view to taking a slice of the riches that flow in and around the premier tennis event each year.
This year has been no different. The Open’s major sponsors – which include hotel operator Marriott, big four bank ANZ, and the Emirates airline – have each been jostling to win over a rotating cast of influentials and hangers-on.
And in the telling of Marriott’s regional vice president, Jason Nuell, the tournament has already yielded some tangible upside.
He said the company’s 10 hotels across Melbourne were at 90 per cent occupancy heading into the finals weekend, with the average income pocketed per room up about 17 per cent this year, particularly across Marriott’s luxury hotels, such as the Ritz-Carlton.
But Nuell predictably kept his cards close to his chest when asked what sort of windfall the company expected the Australian Open to deliver the company.
“It’s hard to put a value on … because there’s obviously the room nights, but then it’s not just about driving occupancy in hotels,” Nuell told Open Season.
“There’s the incredible brand awareness. And there’s all of the opportunities that you can give to members. So I think to try to come up with a value would be difficult.”
For Marriott, the hospitality has been targeted at members flush with points. The hotel operator has been running what it calls “Marriott unique experiences”, running the gamut from finals game tickets to “behind the scenes tours”, which promise guests a walk through private player areas, and, of course, the company’s private hospitality lounge.
Those on the list can look forward to a “pre-match dining experience” courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton in Melbourne, and the company of former AO champion and world No.1 Ash Barty, whom the hotel has had on its books as an ambassador for the past four years.
Dawn Fraser, Wally Lewis toast Hall of Fame
As the men’s and women’s finals draw closer, the Australian Open has been heaving not just with the biggest names in world tennis, but with some of the most influential names in sport across Australia.
On Thursday, some of the nation’s hall-of-famers descended on the Emirates marquee on the doorstep of Rod Laver Arena to celebrate 40 years of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser joined America’s Cup-winning skipper John Bertrand and rugby league immortal Wally Lewis among a packed list of key guests invited by the airline. They were joined by a trio of Olympic gold medallists – pole vaulter Steve Hooker, Lauren Burns, who in 2000 won Australia’s first gold medal in taekwondo, and former Australian rower Nick Green – along with English cricket legend Ian Botham.
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Stephen Brook is a special correspondent for The Age and CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously deputy editor of The Sunday Age. He is a former media editor of The Australian and spent six years in London working for The Guardian.Connect via X or email.
John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.