Kids Tennis Day presented by Emirates, a firm favourite among tennis’ youngest fans, returns on Saturday 11 January.

It will feature an Arena Spectacular in Rod Laver Arena with top players, live performances with vocalists and dance ensembles including a special performance by Zindzi & the Zillionaires, and a visit from some Kids Tennis Day friends. The Arena Spectacular will be hosted by Casey Dellacqua and Shura Taft.  

There will be family-friendly entertainment throughout the precinct on Kids Tennis Day. The AO Ballpark presented by Emirates will feature an action-packed schedule including Hot Shots HQ tennis games, an obstacle course, a waterslide with 2.5 and 6m drops, craft areas, and more opportunities for families to play tennis together.  

The Grand Slam Oval stage will feature entertainment throughout the day, there will be more opportunities to try Hot Shots Tennis and POP Tennis, face painting, games and music in Garden Square, meet and greets with favourite characters including Peppa Pig, PJ Masks Villains, Paddington Bear, Octonauts, and Matteo from LEGO, as well as roaming performers. Exclusive Kids Tennis Day menus will feature at a variety of food outlets.

Tickets for Kids Tennis Day range from $15 to $25, while kids aged two and younger are free.

The official AO Draw will be held on the steps of MCA on Thursday 9 January and shown live on the big screens around the site.

Ground passes for Opening Week are available for purchase at Ticketmaster. Tickets for Kids Tennis Day and all charity matches will go on-sale on Monday 9 December.

Proceeds from the charity matches will support a range of charities through the Australian Tennis Foundation which has provided over 100,000 hours of joy to over 26,000 kids and families facing adversity. 

ATF LOTTERY: Win an unforgettable AO experience

Kids participating in the ATF’s year-round programs will also have the exciting opportunity to be selected for the coin toss at the charity matches.  

About the Australian Tennis Foundation

The Australian Tennis Foundation (ATF) aims to inspire brighter futures for disadvantaged children and young people through tennis. As the Official Charity of Tennis Australia and the Australian Open, it uses tennis as a vehicle to reduce social disadvantage and increase social cohesion.

Since its launch in 2020, the Australian Tennis Foundation has provided more than 75,000 opportunities for disadvantaged kids to play and belong.

The Australian Tennis Foundation has expanded its footprint even further in 2024 by making tennis available to more than 5000 children and young people from some of Australia’s most disadvantaged communities. An additional 3500 kids and families have been offered the chance for connection and relief from challenging life circumstances.

MORE: Australian 2025 Summer of Tennis calendar set

Launched in September 2022, ATF Brighter Days program provides relief from challenging life circumstances for young people and their families through fun, engaging tennis and social activities at flagship tennis facilities across Australia.

Brighter Days extends into the Summer of Tennis and the Australian Open providing families from partner charities the chance to come and enjoy the festival of tennis at the Australian Open or one of the lead-in events in their closest city.

Next year marks the fifth anniversary of the Rally as One initiative. Founded amid the Black Summer bushfires, the program helps communities affected by natural disasters, supporting the rebuilding of community infrastructure and providing free community events and tennis programs to foster social connections.

To commemorate the anniversary, the ATF is hosting 200 people from communities directly impacted by bushfires in regional Victoria at AO 2025. The families are VIP guests at an exhibition match played during Opening Week.

Since 2020, the ATF has used tennis as a vehicle to build connections and offer relief to more than 10,000 people in regional and remote communities devastated by bushfires and/or floods as part of the Rally as One initiative.

The ATF lottery is back this year, offering tennis fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the Australian Open in an extraordinary way. By entering the lottery, you and a friend could win tickets to your choice of men’s or women’s final, complete with flights, accommodation, on-site dining, exclusive behind-the-scenes access and special keepsakes to remember your experience. Winners will be drawn on Monday 20 January, 2025. 

More details here.