Tennis stars from around the globe have descended on Adelaide to kick off their year with a shot at glory at the Adelaide International. But while the competition on the court is fierce, it doesn’t mean they should miss out on what Adelaide has to offer.
Some familiar faces have reached new heights – literally. Zhang Zhizhen and Marketa Vondrousova enjoyed the RoofClimb at Adelaide Oval. The 360-degree views from 50m up offer the best way to see the city.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Korda chose to keep his feet on the ground and get up close with some furry friends. The American shared that taking a trip to the zoo is a special tradition for him and his girlfriend, referring to it as their “thing”.
He noted that they previously explored Cleland Wildlife Park on their visit two years ago, which means it was high time they went to the Adelaide Zoo.
“[We] got to feed a pygmy hippo and see some other animals, which was a lot of fun,” he said.
The go-to activity for Felix Auger-Aliassime and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was to explore the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly in Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens. Pavlyuchenkova spoke of her love for flowers, so she wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to check out the exhibition.
“I’m totally enjoying every second of being here,” she said. She revealed that she has been busy sending pictures to her mum, who has a garden of her own and is equally obsessed with flowers.
For Auger-Aliassime, there is life beyond the court, and getting out and about is a highlight for him.
“You just see the tennis courts, so to see other things – I always enjoy that,” he said.
He admitted he will be telling other players to come along and take advantage of this “very nice initiative”.
Once again, Adelaide is proving the perfect backdrop for an international tennis tournament, blending sport with adventure. So, get in on it!