Fans are in, but crowd numbers are thin at Australian Open

The lines for beer on Day 1 at the Australian Open were noticeably thinner than usual, and the lawn chairs set up in front of the giant television screen in Garden Square were far emptier. “There was a bit of trepidation, but then it was a conscious decision to do it.” HARD LOCKDOWN, EARLY EXIT Former Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber tried to stay positive about having to endure 14 days in hard lockdown after arriving in Australia last month. “Maybe if I knew that before to stay really two weeks in the hard quarantine without hitting a ball, maybe I would think twice about.” ANNIVERSARY WIN The start of the Australian Open marked the 40th anniversary of Leslie Allen’s win in the season-ending WTA Tour Avon Championships of Detroit, becoming the first Black woman to win a prestigious WTA tournament since Althea Gibson won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 1958. “I knew all eyes were on me and understood the significance the win would have for the Black community,” Allen said in a statement about her experiences on tour in the 1980s. “Even though I knew my victory would inspire others, it was hard to imagine that Black women would one day dominate tennis.” Allen said she is pleased to see Black women on tour play a prominent role in social justice causes.