MELBOURNE: The Australian Open will place daily limits on cheap tickets to the tennis Grand Slam for the first time after long queues and crowding blighted the tournament in January.

Organisers Tennis Australia said on Tuesday it would cap allocations of its A$49 ($34) “ground passes” during the first week of the main draw as they expected demand to be stronger than ever in 2027.

Ground passes allow holders to roam between matches outside the major showcourts at Melbourne Park and are hugely popular among casual fans.

However, a spike in attendances in recent years has contributed to long queues to access courts and raised concerns about a declining fan experience.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026