Judy Murray: Australian Open Blog 4

Judy Murray has enjoyed a busy day at the Australian Open, making her way around the Melbourne Park courts to witness wins for sons Andy and Jamie.

Dom Inglot and Heather Watson also took the court as the first week of the maiden Grand Slam of the year draws to a close. Read Judy's blog from earlier in the week!

In this instalment, Judy provides us with more insight into what makes the Australian Open such a fantastic event.

Chocolate and tennis, together! 

Now, this is the kind of welcome package‎ I like to find in the tournament hotels! Chocolate racket and tennis balls on an iced court sitting in the lobby bar of the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Accommodation: 

It always makes sense to stay at one of the tourney hotels. Not only do they offer preferential rates but they also have a shuttle bus to and from the site. The gym is fantastic at the Hyatt and it has a hard court as well as a pool. All good for extra training, physical work and recovery.

If you don't take the shuttle bus to the site, there's a free tram which runs from Flinders St Station right up to the entrance to Melbourne Park. Without doubt this is the easiest Slam to negotiate.

And the weather's always fab!! Sometimes too fab. Yes, we are talking burnt nose.

The player transport drops you at the tradesman's entrance :) A.K.A where the public can't go! There's a superb new player lounge this year complete with sofas, tennis ball bean bags and four big screens TV’s showing matches from the main show courts.

Juniors in town:

The juniors have a separate player area under the Hisense Arena. Our girls Emily Arbuthnott, Maia Lumsden and Katie Swan are in town and start tomorrow. No boys in the draw this year......

Keeping cool:

It's still hot out here‎ and there are these marvellous water sprayers around the grounds. You stand close to them, switch them on and they spray you with a very fine mist. Absolute bliss!! 

These water sprayers help keep the public cool around the grounds

These two sprayers are either side of a Nick Kyrgios column. The Aussies are very good at promoting their players around Melbourne Park and across the city. Good to see.

People's Courts:

Courts 4 and 5 have been created into People's Courts. There's a mini court with seating (to make it like a kids show court) and a full court with umpire (complete with loud haler) where people can come and play Fast4 - the shortened scoring system of first to win four games gets the set! These are both great ways to get fans having a go!

Court 9 is right in amongst the outside match courts and is designated as a practice court ONLY for Aussies. Works for Jamie as he has an Aussie partner in John Peers. Good way to expose the local players to fans. All the other practice courts are on the opposite side of the site.

Tomorrow I am going to check out the kid’s zone. Apparently this year's new additions include face painting and visor decoration. Mmmm. Tempting!!!