'The Schedule Was a Mess': McEnroe Explains Why Top Stars Skipped the Australian Open

Holiday Clashes Drove Stars Away: McEnroe Reveals How Absurd Dates Hurt the Australian Open for Years

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 14/01/2026 à 20h59

1 min to read

Extraits de Dossiers Gerulaitis Vitas Goolagong Evonne McEnroe John O'Neil Chris Vilas Guillermo

Beyond its geographical location, the Australian Open also suffered from its slot in the calendar. The chosen dates clashed directly with end-of-year holidays, when many players preferred to take a break.

Between the 1970s and 1980s, the tournament – renamed the Australian Open since the Open Era began in 1969 – was held five times between Christmas and New Year's.

“I didn’t like the schedule, it was a mess”

The 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981 editions were all scheduled during this unpropitious period, discouraging the biggest stars from making the long trip to Oceania.

An icon of the era and American tennis, John McEnroe told Eurosport that the dates were a real problem: “I didn’t like the schedule, some years it even fell during Christmas and New Year’s. It was a mess.”

These repeated absences allowed other players and players to shine. Evonne Goolagong, Guillermo Vilas, Vitas Gerulaitis, Barbara Jordan and Chris O’Neil are among the winners from that period.

Full dossier available this weekend

Discover the full dossier “From a despised tournament to a calendar staple: the incredible story of the Australian Open” on TennisTemple this Saturday, January 17.