The Australian Open is blasted for snubbing Australia Day while holding gay pride events

“They Hate Australia” The Australian Open Has Replaced Australia Day With An LGBTQ Freak show. 

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The Australian Open has been slammed for once again refusing to stage an event to mark Australia Day as organisers try to sidestep conflict over the under-fire national holiday.

This year’s tournament has nothing organised to mark the history behind January 26, but is holding the AO Pride Day for the LGBTQ community on January 25 and the Glam Slam from the 26th to 28th, with an All Abilities day on January 23 and First Nations Day on the 17th.     

It’s the second year running the Grand Slam has ignored the national holiday, choosing to celebrate the women’s game last year instead.

Commentators Steve Price and Joe Hildebrand have lashed out at the national day being omitted from the schedule – with the former dragging Aussie tennis great Lleyton Hewitt into the controversy.

‘So we have a First Nations Day – no drama from me about that – then the organisers have set aside a day for Australian Open Pride Day, an Australian Open All Abilities Day and an Australian Open Glam Slam for the LGBTI+ folk that will run across January 26 to 28. You can’t make this stuff up,’ Price said on Sky News Australia.

He then lashed out at the tournament for its scheduling of Hewitt’s induction into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame – an event that usually sees greats of the game join the exclusive club on January 26.

‘This year it’s going to be Lleyton Hewitt – you couldn’t get a more Australian Australian than Lleyton Hewitt,’ Price continued.

‘They’ve changed the date of that event from Australia Day, when it used to be, to the 24th.

‘This is just crazy wokeness gone mad. Can anyone at Tennis Australia defend this disgraceful snubbing of our national day by a tournament that carries the name of our nation?’

Fellow commentator Joe Hildebrand added: ‘The idea that these sorts of ridiculous, virtue-signalling gestures are going to make any difference … is absolutely ridiculous.

The Open’s continued refusal to mark January 26 comes as the national day remains highly divisive.

More than 80 councils across the country have opted not to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26 this year, with Woolworths announcing it will not be stocking Australia Day merchandise – leading to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton calling for a boycott of the business.