The history of the Australian Open officially started in the fall of 1905 when the first game was played at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in Melbourne. Today, it is the highest-attended Grand Slam event. The tennis tournament is held annually in Melbourne, Australia, and is managed by Tennis Australia.
Meaning and history
1995
The old Australian Open logo was dominated by black and sunny gold. The name “Australia Open” was given in a simple sans. Only the initials were capitalized. In between the two words, a stylized player could be seen.
2007
The design grew somewhat simpler due to the fact that the black rectangle in the background disappeared. It still remained pretty cluttered, though. The figure of the player now dominated the design, while the lettering moved below.
2016
The redesign was made by Landor. As the firm explains on its official website, they decided that “taking the “A” and “O” as core components for a new visual identity” would be the most appropriate choice as the letters “convey energy and motion.”
The updated design features the large, bold initials in blue. While the shape of the “O” was regular, the “A” looked somewhat unusual as it lacked its middle bar. Below, you could see the full name of the competition in a simple sans. It was by far smaller than the initials. While the full name was still possible to make out at smaller sizes, it was not an easy task. Without any doubt, the 2016 Australian Open logo was primarily aimed at the loyal fans that did not need any explanations.