What’s the Score?
The AO Pickleball Slam (AOPS) returns to Melbourne Park from January 30 to February 1, 2026, coinciding with the final weekend of the Australian Open. The tournament will be held at the ANZ Arena, featuring 24 international superstars competing for a $100,000 prize pool. This elite invitational event uses a unique team format inspired by Melbourne’s famous laneways.
Hit it deeper!
The AOPS has quickly established itself as a premier event by integrating directly into the fabric of a Grand Slam tennis event. Players are assigned to six teams—Degraves, Duckboard, Guildford, Flinders, Hardware, and the defending champions, Hosier. Each team consists of two men and two women who compete in a round-robin draw consisting of eight matches per “rubber,” including singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
The format is fast-paced and spectator-friendly, utilising rally scoring and a time-based system (10 minutes for singles, 20 for doubles). If a matchup ends in a tie, it is decided by the “AOPS Showdown,” a high-intensity singles tiebreaker with rotating matchups every five points. The stakes are high, with the winning team taking home $40,000. Beyond the money, players are treated to an elite experience, including access to the same locker rooms and gyms used by the world’s top tennis players. Grounds Pass holders can watch the action for free, ensuring the ANZ Arena remains a “theatre of pickleball” throughout the weekend.
The World Pickleball Verdict
The AO Pickleball Slam is the gold standard for how pickleball can coexist with tennis. By utilising the infrastructure of a Grand Slam and a creative, fast-moving team format, Tennis Australia is legitimising the sport for a global audience. The “laneway” branding and time-based scoring make it distinct from any other tour event, proving that pickleball can be both a professional sport and a high-energy “festival” of athleticism.
