Overview
It's arguably the biggest international sporting event on Melbourne's calendar, pulling the world's greatest tennis players to our city each summer. And while the 2021 Australian Open is set to look a little different to that of previous years, it's stirring up just as much excitement as ever before. But you don't need to nab courtside seats and battle the crowds in order to soak up the Grand Slam action. With onsite crowd numbers limited, there are stacks of local venues that'll be breaking out the big screens, bubbly and food specials, serving up some ace tennis-watching parties of their own. We've rounded up six bars, pubs and pop-ups where you can watch the 2021 Australian Open in style. Here's where to get your tennis fix this February.
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Cold beer, fresh seafood and Yarra views — if that’s a tennis-watching situation you can get around, you’ll want to book in a session at Common Man’s riverside pop-up between Monday, February 8 and Sunday, 21. Here in the Summer Slam Cocktail Garden, you can see the Australian Open played live with full surround sound, while kicking back on the sunny lawn or keeping cool in the marquee. Meanwhile, the bar is slinging summery spritzes, Coopers tinnies by the bucket and frozen sips including a Blood Orange Gin Freeze. And should the on-court action pique your appetite, there’s the Summer Slam Seafood Showcase menu, featuring the likes of chargrilled garlic prawn skewers, and buckets of prawns served with thousand island dressing.
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Elevate that tennis-watching experience with the addition of some fancy fizz, at the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Court at The Commons at Ormond Collective. The St Kilda Road pop-up features not only a supersized outdoor screen playing the Australian Open, but a bright red badminton square where you can let off some steam with a racquet or just some happy snaps. While you’re there, you’ll find yourself quaffing glasses of Piper-Heidsieck matched with fizz-friendly snacks like pommes frites and fresh oysters. What’s more, there are prizes to be won on the daily — you could walk away with a bottle of champagne, or even tickets to the Australian Open itself.
Image: Karon Photography
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Swap the bustling crowds of Melbourne Park for some crisp brews, aperitivo-style snacks and an idyllic waterfront setting, at Albert Park’s Lakeside at Carousel. From Monday, February 8, the precinct’s new House of Peroni pop-up is showing all the on-court action on its outdoor big screen, for you to enjoy from the comfort of your sun lounge or picnic rug. There’s lots of lawn furniture available to hire, or you can bring along your own set-up. The tennis will be screening from 10am daily, though from 4–6pm you can match your sports fix with a few aperitivo specials. For $15, you get you a beer, plus your choice of snack — think, prawn rolls, crispy chicken sliders, and oozy mac ‘n’ cheese croquettes.
Image: Lucas Worcester
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This riverside bar is getting into the Grand Slam spirit by whipping out its huge ‘megatron’ screen and stocking up on plenty of lobster. Here, you can pull up a seat overlooking the Yarra and watch your favourite players battle it out on court in high-definition, right through until the tournament ends on Sunday, February 21. And you’ll be doing it in style, if you order one of the Boatbuilders’ new couples-friendly meal deals — two decadent lobster rolls and waffle fries, matched with a bottle of Mumm for $125. Otherwise, there’s a range of tap beers, classic cocktails and lots of Aussie wines.
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If you reckon that tennis and Pimm’s feel like a perfect (game, set) match, you’d best get down to the Middle Park Hotel for this year’s grand slam action. Not only is the historic pub showing the best of the Australian Open, live and loud, up on its many sports screens, but the bar’s got you covered with summery drink specials like $10 Pimm’s cups and shareable $25 Pimm’s jugs. There’s also plenty of tap beers, classic cocktails and a menu chock full of gastropub favourites, to fuel you up for those extra long matches. Get in quick and you could even nab a sweet spot in front of the outdoor screen in the sunny upper beer garden.
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Once again, the Canadian Club Racquet Club is setting up shop at Birrarung Marr for the duration of the Australian Open, offering punters a breezy openair spot to socialise over some tennis and a tipple. Here, you can pull up a beanbag and settle in to catch your favourite grand slammers up on the outdoor big screen, while chowing down on food truck eats from the likes of Taco Truck and Beatbox. The bar’s keeping things nice and cool with plenty of Canadian Club on tap, and a lineup of resident DJs will be amping up the vibe throughout the tournament, starting with sounds from DJ Gaz Kempster for the pop-up’s opening night on Monday, February 8.
Image: Courtesy LWA