me and three swedish friends are going to this event. Does anyone have some suggestions on where to live and other useful information?
I thought I'd pitch in my 2 cents about transportation
If you're staying in the City, you could walk or take a short bus ride to Central Station, where you can:
1) Catch a train to Sydney Olympic Park. You will need to change trains at a station called Lidcombe, but it's very straightforward. Once you get to the Olympic Park station there will be a free shuttle bus that runs at regular intervals which takes you directly to the Tennis Centre.
If you leave Central after 9am, your return train fare from Central-Olympic Park-Central is $8.20.
2) Catch a train to Strathfield station. Right outside the station is a bus stop, where you can get bus #525. This bus will drop you off pretty much outside the Tennis Centre, you'll only need to walk for about 5 minutes up the Shirley Strickland Avenue and you will reach the Tennis Centre gates.
If you're staying in Sydney for about a week or so, I recommend that you get a Green Travel Pass. It costs $43 and allows you unlimited one week's travel on the buses, trains and ferries for a pretty long distance (map here.)
Ernests Gulbis on seeing HEAD racquets being made by hand:
Quote:
I felt so bad. I didn’t break a racquet for like one month. They are putting so much effort to make the racquets and an idiot like me goes and breaks them
I thought I'd pitch in my 2 cents about transportation
If you're staying in the City, you could walk or take a short bus ride to Central Station, where you can:
1) Catch a train to Sydney Olympic Park. You will need to change trains at a station called Lidcombe, but it's very straightforward. Once you get to the Olympic Park station there will be a free shuttle bus that runs at regular intervals which takes you directly to the Tennis Centre.
If you leave Central after 9am, your return train fare from Central-Olympic Park-Central is $8.20.
2) Catch a train to Strathfield station. Right outside the station is a bus stop, where you can get bus #525. This bus will drop you off pretty much outside the Tennis Centre, you'll only need to walk for about 5 minutes up the Shirley Strickland Avenue and you will reach the Tennis Centre gates.
If you're staying in Sydney for about a week or so, I recommend that you get a Green Travel Pass. It costs $43 and allows you unlimited one week's travel on the buses, trains and ferries for a pretty long distance (map here.)
Hope that's of some help
you're a train expert! i only know how to drive
i'll attempt to say something about hotels and tickets then.......
i don't think i'd suggest staying in the hotels inside or near sydney olympic park. not that i ever tried but the place is so boring, and you need to do things and eat nicely, and not just eat and breathe tennis! so i'd think you should do the normal thing and stay in normal places around the city centre, or city fringes. somewhere that is close to a train station perhaps, looking at your transport options above. beyond that, it will depend on your budget where to stay.
as for tickets, a ground pass will get you into any court except the centre court. it may still be possible to get a centre court ticket on the day when you know who will play, but it is not going to be a good seat. no worries, we are used to seeing swedish fans high up in the stadium cheering
ground passes can be bought on the day. though if you arrive in the morning when gates open, which is what everyone else does, the queue can be very long.
i suppose you already know the online ticketing agent so i won't elaborate how to buy ahead! i hope this has been helpful!
ps. some city fringe locations can be well, not so safe. if you're unsure, stay in a group and try not to wander around so much when it's dark! we are not such a safe city any more
i don't think i'd suggest staying in the hotels inside or near sydney olympic park.
Good grief, I second this - don't lodge in the Olympic Park, please The whole place is so isolated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Via
you need to do things and eat nicely, and not just eat and breathe tennis! so i'd think you should do the normal thing and stay in normal places around the city centre, or city fringes. somewhere that is close to a train station perhaps, looking at your transport options above. beyond that, it will depend on your budget where to stay.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Via
as for tickets, a ground pass will get you into any court except the centre court.
What's awesome is that grounds passes are only $9.90 this year But I just visited the Tennis Centre and they changed the configuration of Court 1 (the biggest non-Centre court.) They removed one entire side of bleachers (the corporate marquee will be there now) and extended the number of seats on the remaining side by 15 extra rows to compensate. I'm not sure if it will be enough, though so if there's any particular player you want to see who's scheduled on Court 1, be sure to grab a seat early.
Ernests Gulbis on seeing HEAD racquets being made by hand:
Quote:
I felt so bad. I didn’t break a racquet for like one month. They are putting so much effort to make the racquets and an idiot like me goes and breaks them
well..well We have so many experts here
The last time I visited Sydney Medibank, I stayed at
Ibis Hotel in the Olympic Park since I got a very
special discount, around 50 Aussi Dollars per night.
It was ok, pretty close to the event but you have to
get into the town anyway when tennis was over. Once
getting into the city, I had almost missed the train
back to the Olympic Park. There is only a few at night.
That time I bought Day Tripper ticket which you can use
any transportation. Train is very convenient if you stay
in city center. In the morning, I think there is also
express train to the Olympic Park from Central Station.
About the event, I suggest you buy ground pass ticket
and visit the practice court. You can see many players
in person, having chat and taking photo with them closely.
What's awesome is that grounds passes are only $9.90 this year But I just visited the Tennis Centre and they changed the configuration of Court 1 (the biggest non-Centre court.) They removed one entire side of bleachers (the corporate marquee will be there now) and extended the number of seats on the remaining side by 15 extra rows to compensate. I'm not sure if it will be enough, though so if there's any particular player you want to see who's scheduled on Court 1, be sure to grab a seat early.
thanks for the news! but do you mean court 2 (right in front of the players' balcony?) i don't know if they are ever bringing back the old court 1 any more...
funny they are doing that to accomodate the corporate types... cos i think that sector is seriously shrinking this year given the financial crisis. as a matter of fact, they are selling corporate seats to the public right now
thanks for the news! but do you mean court 2 (right in front of the players' balcony?) i don't know if they are ever bringing back the old court 1 any more...
funny they are doing that to accomodate the corporate types... cos i think that sector is seriously shrinking this year given the financial crisis. as a matter of fact, they are selling corporate seats to the public right now
The one in front of the players' balcony, yes I've never seen the old Court 1... I've only been here for the past couple of years
They're also erecting a spectator rest area with shade (a big awning, as well as picnic tables if I remember correctly) which I think is really helpful, especially if you don't have Centre Court tickets under the shade I actually came down with the flu last year after spending a whole day in the sun at Homebush!
Ernests Gulbis on seeing HEAD racquets being made by hand:
Quote:
I felt so bad. I didn’t break a racquet for like one month. They are putting so much effort to make the racquets and an idiot like me goes and breaks them
Ooh and don't forget to attend the qualifying if you can! Sometmes I think I prefer qualifying to the actual event [or could that be because my players are usually in qualifying!?]. I'll be there from the Friday or Saturday before the main draw starts, up until the Tuesday. Aus Open qualifying means I get less time in Sydney [I fly down the Wednesday morning]. Look forward to seeing you guys around! I can be found at Melzer/Nieminen courts =)
Ooh and don't forget to attend the qualifying if you can! Sometmes I think I prefer qualifying to the actual event [or could that be because my players are usually in qualifying!?]. I'll be there from the Friday or Saturday before the main draw starts, up until the Tuesday. Aus Open qualifying means I get less time in Sydney [I fly down the Wednesday morning]. Look forward to seeing you guys around! I can be found at Melzer/Nieminen courts =)
I'm flying down to Melbourne on Wednesday morning too If you're on the 6am Jetstar flight I might see you at the terminal
Ernests Gulbis on seeing HEAD racquets being made by hand:
Quote:
I felt so bad. I didn’t break a racquet for like one month. They are putting so much effort to make the racquets and an idiot like me goes and breaks them
I'm flying down to Melbourne on Wednesday morning too If you're on the 6am Jetstar flight I might see you at the terminal
6:45 for me! haha, the one before the time just looked too painful, and time management is not one of my strengths Ooh, btw, if you end up back in this thread, do you know if Gulbis is still coached by Karl?
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6:45 for me! haha, the one before the time just looked too painful, and time management is not one of my strengths Ooh, btw, if you end up back in this thread, do you know if Gulbis is still coached by Karl?
He is I'll be stalking Gulbis in Melbourne, and Peta knows what I look like, so we'll probably bump into each other there
Ernests Gulbis on seeing HEAD racquets being made by hand:
Quote:
I felt so bad. I didn’t break a racquet for like one month. They are putting so much effort to make the racquets and an idiot like me goes and breaks them
i would never get those cheap early flights ever again. i overslept for my melbourne flight 3 years ago!
(speaking of which, i should now retire to bed in case i'll be late tomorrow)
hope to see you all soon
lol, I book in to get dads taxi to drive me to the airport. He's used to getting up super early for work, so it makes it twice as hard for me to sleep in. I have been known to go to the airport a day after my flight though or just miss my flight 'because Jonas is still in' Now I don't book my flight home until I'm down there / the day before I intend to leave. I can't be trusted. Enjoy your time up there!
Who's Going?
Who's Going?
Youzhny 
Vliegen 
O. Rochus 
JC Ferrero 
Sampras 
Agassi 
The Swedes 
it will take me some time to write this up... and today i'm super busy!!! lol i'll try give you a good answer later 
The whole place is so isolated.
so if there's any particular player you want to see who's scheduled on Court 1, be sure to grab a seat early.
- Evgeny 
- GRiGoR 
I've never seen the old Court 1... I've only been here for the past couple of years 
the time just looked too painful, and time management is not one of my strengths 
Larsson ~ Legner ~ Jeremiasz ~ Scheffers ~ Kruszelnicki 
or just miss my flight 'because Jonas is still in'
Now I don't book my flight home until I'm down there / the day before I intend to leave. 
