The Australian Open’s ‘Party Court’ gets so loud a match is moved to a different arena

By The Associated Press

Frederic Fontang, right, coach of Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada gestures as they talk during a break in the second round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake]

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rowdy fans at the Australian Open’s so-called “Party Court” — a venue equipped with a bar — grew so loud that a nearby match was moved to a different arena. While Jacob Fearnley’s boisterous-as-could-be 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Arthur Cazaux of France was going on at Court 6 on Wednesday night, the noise was drifting over to the adjacent Court 8, where Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain was starting his matchup with 29th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada. There were chants and songs and yells and applause and foot-stomps. So at 4-3 in the first set, Davidovich Fokina and Auger-Aliassime spoke with the chair umpire. Eventually, they moved to Court 8.