A New G'day, From Melbourne

On the ground for Bounces' first major trip: the 2025 Australian Open.

Walking into the Australian Open indeed hits different this time. (Photo by Ben Rothenberg)

MELBOURNE, Australia—I really didn’t think I’d be here.

In some ways, Melbourne in January is an obvious locale for me. This is my twelfth time here to cover the Australian Open in the last fourteen years; since first coming here as a 24-year-old freelancer in 2012…