With the tennis in full swing at Brisbane International 2014, one of the biggest hits around the grounds is the one-of-a-kind Tennis Central and Kids Zone, which fans can enjoy for the price of a ground pass.
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The Brisbane sun can be a bit taxing for fans, and there’s no better way to cool off than down at Tennis Central, where the tennis on the big screen is a sideshow to the relaxing Suncorp Oasis, scattering of bean bags, My Kitchen Rules Photo booth and Nova Stage.
In 2013 Tennis Central helped the tournament win a successive ATP International Group Best Fan Experience award and for friends Susan and Jenny there was only one word to describe it.
“Relaxing,” they chorused.
“The table and chairs and the bean bags are a great idea; it’s nice and relaxed,” Susan added.
But the most popular addition in 2014 is undoubtedly the VW Human Car Wash that today provided a haven for countless sun-soaked tennis fans.
And as the afternoon rolled on in the bean-bagged oasis, the volunteers behind the counter noted the most popular way to cool off was definitely a cool glass of Pimm’s.
But during the Suncorp SunWise Kids Day it was the Kids Zone that got the workout, with hundreds of kids and their parents taking advantage of the activities on offer in the shadow of Show Court 1.
Bouncing from a jumping castle to mini MLC Tennis Hot Shots tennis courts to a dive volley simulator and serve speed tester, Kids Zone is all about giving the kids a hands-on approach to a day at the tennis.
For mother of three Kate Gorman, it’s what’s kept her coming back.
“Back again for a second year in a row, so yeah, it’s great. We’ve got three girls and they love it,” she said.
“It’s a good day to get the kids familiar with tennis and have an opportunity to have a go where they might not otherwise at picking up a racquet and trying to hit a ball.”
It’s not all about the tennis, with the face painting and rock climbing the clear favourites for the kids; the endless queue at the rock climbing wall has become part of the backdrop of the tournament as hundreds of kids have a go at reaching the top each day.
For Diana Ormston, face-painting artist at the Kid Zone for DJO Designs Kidz, the workload is just as tough, responsible for hundreds of neon-decorated faces seen scattered through the Brisbane International crowds – today it was all about rainbows.
“Rainbow anything and everything, rainbow flowers, rainbow tennis racquets,” Ormston said.
With so much on offer around the grounds, is there anything better than pulling up a beanbag and watching the world-class tennis?