At the Australian Open, a lively crowd at the “Party Court,” which features a bar, became so loud that it disrupted a nearby match, forcing it to be moved to a different court.
Jacob Fearnley, a 23-year-old tennis player from Scotland, had been playing on Court 6, where the party atmosphere was in full swing. “When I saw the bar, I was thinking it’s going to be a pretty rowdy atmosphere,” he said. “Usually they go together — a bar and a rowdy atmosphere.” Fearnley was in the middle of his match against Arthur Cazaux from France, which he eventually won 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3, when the noise from the court started to affect the nearby Court 8.
On Court 8, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina from Spain was playing Felix Auger-Aliassime from Canada. The sounds from Court 6—chants, songs, cheers, and stomps—were drifting over to their match. At 4-3 in the first set, both players decided to speak to the chair umpire about the disturbance.
The umpire then called a tournament supervisor, and play was delayed for over 15 minutes while officials assessed the situation. Soon after, the crowd was informed that the match would be moved to Court 7.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the match is now suspended on this court and will move to Court 7 in just a few minutes,” the announcement said. The players then gathered their things and moved to the new court. Davidovich Fokina went on to win the match 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, making a remarkable comeback.
The two-level bar at Court 6, which was introduced the previous year, has become a popular feature with fans but has also divided opinion among players. Fearnley, who is set to play No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev in the third round, admitted that the atmosphere was something he had to get used to.
“As I kind of settled into the match, I kind of blocked it out as much as I could,” Fearnley said. “Obviously there was some supporters who were extremely drunk, but it was a great atmosphere. Amazing atmosphere.”
The lively environment at Court 6 has become a signature feature of the tournament, but it’s clear that its noise can affect the players. For some, it adds to the excitement of the event, while for others, it creates distractions. In this case, the rowdy fans led to a decision to move one of the matches to ensure the players could focus on their game.
Despite the disruption, the players were able to continue their matches and deliver thrilling tennis, showing how the unique atmosphere at the Australian Open can have a significant impact on the experience.
