Australian Open 2017: Centre court serves up love in the hot seats
Love-all at Rod Laver Arena
The Australian Open organisers are using their new premium on-court seats to woo a bunch of VIPs – as well as high-flying tennis fans – during the tournament.
While the number of celebrities will increase as the finals near, Tuesday night saw the first of the beautiful people on court, with Jimmy and Nadia Bartel and David Jones ambassador Jessica Gomes and her new beau, actor Xavier Samuel, canoodling at the night session.
Nadia Bartel said she had long been a tennis fan but it was incredible being so close to the action.
"You get an even better appreciation of their skill and athleticism," she said.
Gomes is in Australia to prepare for the David Jones winter launch, which is happening at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral on February 1.
On Wednesday night, singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte and her partner, Cameron McGlinchey, as well as a host of Olympians including swimmer Belinda Hocking, were due on centre court.
Also at the tennis on Tuesday night was the Bachelorette, Georgia Love, fresh from her star turn at the Portsea Polo last weekend, with boyfriend Lee Elliot and contestant Cameron Cranley.
Melissa Singer is National Fashion Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.