Overview
The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance has been working hard to queer up the Australian Open ever since it ran its first Glam Slam tournament in 2019. The team works in partnership with Tennis Australia to bring in LGBTQIA+ tennis players from around the world — providing a safe space for them to compete in their own tournament while also throwing a three-day party.
And this year is just as big as ever — with 260 players from around 30 countries participating in the 2025 Glam Slam, which runs from Friday, January 24–Sunday, January 26.
Players of all gender identities are welcome to join and play against others with similar skill levels. Moreover, to increase women's participation, the Glam Slam also has a women's division that's open to anyone who identifies as a woman. The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tournament to run an event like this, which actively gives LGBTQIA+ tennis players a space to compete.
Sport has traditionally been a space where queer people don't feel safe or included (and that is still the case in many sports), but this event is working hard to challenge that in the world of tennis — by creating a welcoming and inclusive event that's also a heap of fun to attend.
Glam Slam Founder Rowen D'Souza commented, "Inclusion can go much further than just raising the pride flag. For an event to be truly inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, it needs to have our community participate. The Glam Slam does this for the AO."
To watch the Glam Slam games, punters simply need to purchase Australian Open ground passes and then find the matches on the outside courts.
Grey Goose Courtside Bar
But it's not just about the competition. There's also a heap of special entertainment running across the three days, which lines up with the AO Pride Day on Friday, January 24. You'll find drag queens and kings, face painting and glam stations, DJ sets, and plenty of rainbow flags around the grounds.
From 2pm on Sunday, January 26, you can even drop by the Grey Goose Courtside Bar at Court 6 to watch the Glam Slam finals as well as a celebrity match featuring Luke and Sassy Scott and a bunch of professional players.
This is usually a time of the Australian Open when the outside courts are empty — as most games in the final few days are played in the arenas. Letting the Glam Slam team take over these outer courts and the surrounding spaces is a damn great way to use the space and keep the festivities going.
The 2025 Glam Slam is running from Friday, January 24–Sunday, January 26, and can be accessed by purchasing Australian Open ground passes. For more information, check out the tournament's website.