Australian Open snobs reveal the discreet status symbols money can’t buy that separate REAL elites from D-list wannabes… and Bec Judd showed off hers: JANA HOCKING

If you thought the wildest thing happening at the Australian Open was a five-set tie break, allow me to gently correct you. 

By the time the first ball is struck, influencers have already downed espresso martinis, celebrities have disappeared into VIP marquees, and half of Melbourne Park is pretending to be there for the sport.

Most of them… are not.

Yes, the Australian Open is still world-class tennis. But it has also quietly become one of the most strategic, tightly controlled events on the Australian social calendar. 

And unless you know where to look, you’ll miss all of it.

I was on the ground during week two, moving between the courts, the lounges and the pop-ups, and it quickly became clear there are two very different sides to the Open: what you see on TV and what goes on off the court. 

So let me start by revealing where the celebrities actually are. They are not baking in the stands with the rest of the crowd. Well, during important matches they might be. 

But in between – when the plebs are lining up for hot chips and Aperol Spritzes in the Garden Square – the invited celebs are tucked inside Birdcage-style marquees scattered around the grounds, where cocktails are always ice cold, hair and makeup is flawless, and everyone claims they’re only staying for ‘one quick drink’ while networking like it’s a corporate retreat.

The Emirates marquee is the jewel, and I was very lucky to squeeze my way in there for some fascinating people-watching and, yes, one too many cocktails.

Piper-Heidsieck’s chic lounge also buzzes with energy, but my attempt to sneak out with one of their iconic red plastic cups – hoping to sip in style at the stadium – was swiftly foiled by security. It turns out that taking souvenirs is frowned upon.

Spoilsports. I mean, Bec Judd got to keep hers on court!

As one veteran Australian Open snob whispered to me… when you’re scanning the crowd for celebrities at Melbourne Park, keep an eye out for those red cups. They are the ultimate status symbol – the real elites.

Mecca quietly won the activation game with a Barbie-pink pop-up where guests could top up their cosmetics bag or get a quick touch-up from their on-call makeup artists. I walked out looking so bronzed that I practically matched the hard courts.

Then there’s the influencer circuit – a parallel universe of pre-tennis events hosted by brands like Grey Goose, Mecca and New Balance across Melbourne, before guests are whisked to the matches in lush, air-conditioned vans.

I was lucky enough to be invited as a guest of Mecca to dinner and a match. I was reminded how seriously ‘beauty’ influencers take their jobs when all three of my dinner companions requested alcohol-free spritzes with their pasta while I ordered a gin martini.

Alcohol is not great for the complexion, it turns out.

Thankfully at the Grey Goose pop-up outside Crown – an event I accidentally stumbled into without realising I’d left my invitation unanswered in my emails (sorry PR Dan!) – the influencers weren’t as highly strung, with many downing espresso martinis before breakfast. 

By 10am, the mercury was edging past 35 degrees with 40 on the horizon, yet every guest was dressed for content rather than comfort.

As I rolled in on a hungover mission for an egg and bacon roll, they arrived polished and camera-ready. Honestly, I was impressed.

Inside, Nadia Bartel stayed close to her boyfriend Peter Dugmore, while Rebecca Harding chatted warmly about the runaway success of her and Andy’s Australian pub ‘Old Mates’ in New York.

Emily McKay, Jessie Murphy, Paris Wycherley and Toby Wright were all circulating and it was clear that the not-before-midday drinking rule was long forgotten.

This is where people get the influencer thing wrong. Yes, the Australian Open has become an influencer event. Some are certainly wannabes enjoying a freebie – but a lot of these women aren’t just floating around for fun. They are working.

Say what you will about influencers – plenty scoff that it’s ‘not even a job’ – but many of them were up at dawn for professional hair and makeup before braving a full day in 40-degree heat, all in pursuit of flawless content and keeping their brands happy.

It’s hard to look pretty in a heatwave. And yet, most of them managed it.

Because, you see, most have been invited by major brands with very clear expectations. Coverage is required. Multiple posts are expected. Outfits need to be rotated. Professional hair and makeup is the standard. 

Getting tipsy is a luxury (most) can’t afford because there are deliverables to meet. All week I watched the same faces move between Grey Goose events, Piper Lounge sessions and Emirates marquees, phones in hand, content planned before the drinks even hit the table.

It might look effortless on Instagram. In reality, it’s a tightly scheduled job. (And that’s the last I’ll say defending the influencers – I can already hear some of you jeering from the back…)

Back inside Melbourne Park, the celebrity-spotting during week two was solid.

Following Thursday night’s men’s match, I spotted the interior designer Jade Yarbrough (sister-in-law to Karl Stefanovic) deep in a gossip sesh with Bec Judd’s best friend Jesse Roberts. Stylist Lana Wilkinson was part of the chat too.

The entire Essendon team appeared to have set up camp inside the Emirates marquee the following night, and no one seemed remotely upset about it.

Evelyn Ellis and Duncan James from MAFS were also spotted lounge-hopping, continuing their smooth transition from reality TV to comfortable B-list territory.

Dining during the Open deserves its own mention, because with so many celebs and fancy businesspeople in town, trying to get a booking at the best spots is almost a sport in itself, and the Who’s Who take it very seriously.

I dined at Chris Lucas’ Maison Bâtard, which served the best French cuisine I’ve tasted outside Paris. The room was full of seasoned finance players and media veterans, effortlessly networking with an air of old-school sophistication.

Channel Nine bigwigs held court in one corner, their power lunch echoing the glory days of the Packer era. Every conversation felt equal parts flamboyance and strategy.

For a completely different energy, I lunched the following day at Cameron Northway’s The Beverly with Cameron himself as well as co-owner Lachlan Thompson. The crowd was younger. Tennis players drifted in and out. If Maison Bâtard is power lunch territory, The Beverly is its more playful and sociable counterpart. 

And if you’re wondering where the tennis players stay, it’s simple. The top-tier book Crown, the rest are at Crown Metropol. If you want to spot them, skip the lobby and head straight to the gym. That’s where I found myself pretending to row while secretly clocking all the players getting in their training.

I also learned the hard way that my ADHD attention span is not built for marathon tennis matches. After one particularly boozy lunch, I confirmed what I already suspected. A quick game is a good game.

Post-match, the Emirates marquee is where things get loose. By this stage, the celebs had downed quite a few glasses of Piper and the mood shifted to less ‘who is looking at me’ to pure gossip. That’s because the cameras had disappeared. It was easily the best atmosphere of the tournament.

There were a few notable absences. Michael Clarke and Arabella Sherborne were Best on Ground last year, but Michael is in India. Carrie Bickmore’s famous posse was also missing – she’s in Canberra being recognised for her charity work. However, I’m reliably informed they will be making a welcome return this week.

Fashion, unsurprisingly, was serious business.

Ralph Lauren dominated thanks to a generous collaboration budget. That said, I felt just as good in my Showpo outfits, which were just as chic for a fraction of the price. CEO Jane Lu had three pieces delivered straight to my hotel room with less than 24 hours’ notice, which is a level of efficiency I deeply respect. Kris Kardashian works hard, but Jane Lu works harder. There, I said it.

One final tip if you’re planning your Open schedule: Week one is prime time for single women thanks to corporate suits and businessmen entertaining clients. The stands were just men, men, and more gloriously dressed men. Week two belongs to celebrities and influencers.

Same tennis. Very different experience.

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