Here’s why every sporting fan should visit Melbourne once in their lifetime

The grand Australian city of Melbourne will add another feather to its cap when it hosts the ICC WT20 World Cup final. Hosts Australia will battle it out against India on 8th March at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground to be crowned the supreme women’s T20 unit in the world. This will be another history-making moment for MCG, one of the biggest cricketing venues in the world.

Melbourne itself is regarded as somewhat of a sporting mecca across the globe. The city proudly hosts some of the biggest sporting events of the year, with Melburnians proudly embracing them with great vibrancy and gusto. Here we take a look at why the Victorian city should be on the check-list of every sporting fan to visit atleast once in their lifetime and the major events which it hosts.

Tennis

The first Grand Slam of the calendar year, the Australian Open is played every year in January at Melbourne Park. Some of the finest players in both men’s and women’s tennis showcase their craft in one of the greatest sporting venues of the world. Melbourne Park has up-to-date and world-class tennis facilities, including the Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena. The likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have enjoyed some of the finest moments of their careers at the hallowed turfs.

Formula 1

Since 1996, Melbourne has also annually hosted the opening race of the Formula 1 season, the Australian Grand Prix. The street circuit located around Albert Park Lake is one of the most popular during the calendar year. Fans love it due to the scenic views and competitive races on offer. Drivers love it because of the fast nature of the circuit due to its flat terrain and consistent placement of corners. Some of the greatest drivers in F1 history – Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen have all tasted success in Melbourne.

Horse Racing

Melbourne also hosts one of the most prestigious thoroughbred horse races in the world, the Melbourne Cup. The event is held annually on the first Tuesday of November at the Victoria Racing Club. It is known as ‘The Race that Stops the Nation’ and is one of the richest turf races in the world. Such is the importance of the race that the day is declared a public holiday in Melbourne.

Cricket

Finally coming to cricket, Melbourne is the home of perhaps the grandest sporting stadium in the world, the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With a capacity of 100,024, it is one of the largest sporting venues in the world. Within walking distance from the city centre, the MCG is the jewel in the crown of Melbourne. It has hosted some of the most historic matches in cricket, including the 1992 and the 2015 World Cup finals. It also regularly hosts the Boxing Day Test of the Australian summer, which witness the largest crowds for a cricket match in the country. Apart from cricket, the MCG has also hosted football, rugby and AFL matches.