Australian Open Unveils Third Covered Court for 2015
The 7,500-seat Margaret Court Arena was officially opened on the site of the previous show court next to Rod Laver Arena.
Australian Open organizers have opened a third stadium with a retractable roof at Melbourne Park, saying they're "effectively weatherproofing" the first tennis major of the season.
The 7,500-seat Margaret Court Arena was officially opened on Tuesday on the site of the previous show court next to Rod Laver Arena, which also has a retractable roof. It is the first Grand Slam tournament to have three courts which can be covered in the event of rain or extreme heat.
Tennis Australia president Steve Healy says "We have an incredible new tennis facility. Just like the Australian living legend it is named after, this venue is world class and does Australian tennis proud."
Organizers also announced an increase of 10 percent in the player prize money for the Jan. 19-Feb. 1 Australian Open.