The Australian Open, once the clear laggard among the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, has regained its luster by expanding relentlessly and taking chances.
It was the first major tournament to build a stadium with a retractable roof and is now the first with three such stadiums. This year, it will become the first Grand Slam event to sell a small block of on-court tickets that will allow spectators to sit opposite the chair umpire, less than eight meters (or 26 feet) from the sideline on the Open’s main show court, Rod Laver Arena.
But the tournament director Craig Tiley is interested in more than facilities and revenue.