Behind the scenes at the Australian Open: How Nine brings the action to life

Bringing the Australian Open (AO) to life for Nine’s audiences, readers and listeners is no small feat. The journey begins over a year in advance, involving meticulous planning and collaboration across teams. From partnering with clients and enhancing cutting-edge technology to ensuring every moment is captured live, the preparation spans across Sales, Tech, Operations and more. Once the event kicks off, our Broadcast, Radio, and Publications teams take the reins to deliver the excitement and drama straight to our audiences.

With the AO in full swing, we asked some of our incredible team members to share some insight into their roles, their most memorable moments, and how working on this high-profile event has helped them grow professionally.

What role do you and your team play in preparing for and/or delivering coverage of the AO? 

Zoe Tsimos – Media Manager, Wide World of Sports (WWOS)
We process and manage all incoming media for pre, live, and post-production, ensuring every moment is available to our team seamlessly and archived for future use.

Shane McInnes – Presenter and Commentator, 3AW Sport
My role is to bring breaking news, color, and excitement of the AO to our radio audience during the tournament.

Mackenzie George – Producer, 9Now Programming & Operations
I manage the scheduling of Video On Demand content, live events, and homepage curation for the platform.

Matt Newson – Content Partnerships Manager, Sport
We bridge the gap between Nine’s sales team and the WWOS production team, designing innovative creative solutions that give advertisers a platform for market-leading branded content at scale.

Eddie Jim – Photographer, The Age
We capture still images for The Age and other mastheads. These include action shots, features, celebrities, and even food photography.

How does your role make a difference for our audiences, customers and other stakeholders?

Zoe Tsimos – Media Manager –  WWOS 

I like to think we help connect the past with the present and future; we ensure memorable moments are preserved and made available so stories are not just told, but are able to be re-lived from start to finish. 

Shane McInnes – Presenter and Commentator –  3AW Sport 

Our coverage aims to not only inform listeners about scores, and who’s playing well, but to showcase the experience of the Australian Open, while at the same time capturing those news stories that emanate from the tournament.

How has working on a high-profile event like the AO helped you grow professionally?

Zoe Tsimos – Media Manager –  WWOS 

The connections you make at the AO are invaluable. It is a jam-packed few weeks where so many diverse people and roles come together from all over the country. There are always opportunities to seek advice, bounce ideas, branch out and be creative; you feel as if you are constantly learning. 

Mackenzie George – Producer – 9Now Programming & Operations

The fast-paced environment has helped me sharpen my organisational, time-management, and problem-solving skills. I’ve gained experience in working under pressure to ensure seamless content delivery and understanding the overall operations behind a major sporting event.

Matt Newson – Content Partnerships Manager – Sport 

Working on such a globally renowned event has deepened my appreciation for what goes into producing a world-class broadcast. I’m fortunate enough to have gained valuable exposure to all facets of the event including production, commercial, marketing and PR to name a few. It’s always a team game – and it’s incredibly rewarding when all these pieces come together!

Can you describe a memorable or challenging moment in your role during the Australian Open?

Eddie Jim – Photographer –  The Age 

Photographing Rafael Nadal in a rare one-on-one shoot was my most memorable and most challenging moment from my AO career.  As a massive fan of Rafa’s, I have been waiting for this for a long time. In a tiny room with only two minutes, I got to capture great photos of one of my idols.

Shane McInnes – Presenter and Commentator –  3AW Sport 

The 2012 Men’s Final between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was unforgettable. We expected to be on air from 7PM until 11PM –  well how wrong we were! The five set epic lasted an astonishing five hours and 53 minutes, finally coming to an end at 1:37AM.  It was one of the most exhilarating broadcasts I’ve been part of, but also one of the most draining as we called each point of the longest final in Grand Slam history.

What is your favourite part about working on the Australian Open?

Mackenzie George – Producer – 9Now Programming & Operations

As a sports  enthusiast, besides watching the tennis, I also love that I get to collaborate with multiple teams within the business and make new friends.

Eddie Jim – Photographer –  The Age 

The AO feels like a big party. The vibe is absolutely fantastic and going into Melbourne Park everyday for two weeks in Jan is one of the assignments that I look forward to each year. On top of that, the photographer’s position on court is pretty much the closest to the action- second only to umpires and ballkids.

Tell me something the audience may not know about the coverage/ preparations for the AO? 

Zoe Tsimos – Media Manager –  WWOS 

Preparation for the AO starts before the previous tournament ends. Our work during 2025’s Australian Open will help lay the foundation and set the bar for what can be created in 2026, 2027 and possibly beyond. Future champions are debuting, stories have already started to form. It is our job to predict, source, capture and make available what is needed to bring them to life.  

Shane McInnes – Presenter and Commentator –  3AW Sport 

Radio’s magic lets us transport listeners to any court.  With live background audio from the tournament, we immerse our audience in the action, no matter where the match is taking place.