What is Rod Laver Arena?
Rod Laver Arena is the main stadium of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne. It holds about 15,000 people and was the first tennis stadium in the world to have a retractable roof.
The arena opened in 1988 as the Centre Court of the National Tennis Centre. It was renamed in 2000 in honor of Rod Laver, the Australian champion who won two calendar-year Grand Slams.
The retractable roof means matches can continue during rain or extreme heat. The arena hosts the Australian Open singles finals each January.
A venue for all
Outside tennis season, Rod Laver Arena is one of Melbourne's leading entertainment venues. It hosts concerts, comedy shows, basketball and other sporting events.
Many memorable tennis matches have taken place in the arena, including epic finals between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal and victories by Australian players such as Ash Barty in 2022.
The arena underwent a major redevelopment completed in the early 2020s, which improved seating, facilities and access for spectators.
Did You Know?
Rod Laver Arena is one of Melbourne's busiest concert venues.