A week on from the Australian Open final – with the dust settled and the roar of Rod Laver Arena fading – the tournament’s champions are still top of mind.
Away from the court, though, another contest was playing out in real time. On the digital sidelines, advertisers jostled for attention during one of Australia’s biggest sporting moments, each trying to cut through while audiences were fully dialled in.
To see who actually landed, the contextual intelligence platform GumGum analysed the tournament through its Mindset Graph, mapping how attention built over the fortnight and pinpointing the brands, categories, and personalities Australians leaned into most.
Attention spikes as the tournament heats up
Conversation around the Australian Open accelerated rapidly as play began. On January 1, online mentions of the tournament sat at a modest 1,903.
That figure climbed steadily as qualifying rounds began, reaching 16,857 mentions by January 12.
The real surge came with the start of the main draw on January 18.
By January 20, mentions peaked at 47,482, representing a 2,395% increase from the beginning of the month and highlighting how quickly a Grand Slam captures national attention.
Star power drives digital dominance
While the scoreboard tracked sets and match points, the battle for attention told its own story.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner emerged as the tournament’s early “attention king”, recording 88,266 mentions between January 12 and 20 and outperforming even Novak Djokovic, who generated 74,649 mentions during the same period.
Sinner’s third-round win over Hugo Gaston on January 20 alone sparked 26,229 mentions. Djokovic’s clash with Pedro Martinez delivered intense bursts of engagement, with 32,428 mentions on day one of the main draw, followed by 31,453 the next day.
Alcaraz also drew strong early interest, peaking at 12,571 mentions on January 18 after defeating Australian wildcard Adam Walton.
Rybakina, while quieter in the opening rounds, emerged as a major focal point after her title win, positioning her as a key driver of attention for future tournaments.
Homegrown heroes still cut through
Australian favourite Alex De Minaur ranked second overall behind Sinner with 51,176 mentions, reinforcing the power of local representation.
The strong showing underscores how national pride continues to fuel engagement, suggesting that brands that align with homegrown athletes can drive deeper emotional impact among Australian audiences.
“The results we’ve seen demonstrate how audience focus is shaped by the momentum of big names,” said Alex Hill, Account Director at GumGum.
“For advertisers, it’s a reminder that the most powerful link for brands is often found in the people who define these massive cultural moments.”
Where Australians leaned in most
Beyond the matches themselves, GumGum’s Mindset Graph revealed where attention flowed when fans weren’t watching rallies at Melbourne Park.
During the first week of the tournament, audiences showed strong engagement with summer lifestyle and practical planning categories.
Top performers included Gold Trade In (4.22 seconds average attention), Travel Planning (4.21 seconds) and Food and Beverage Services (4.15 seconds).
Home Improvement also performed strongly at 4.10 seconds, reflecting renovation and refresh behaviour during the summer break.
Lifestyle categories delivered some of the highest dwell times, with Dating (4.93 seconds), eSports (4.80 seconds) and Parenting (4.65 seconds) all outperforming expectations.
What it means for advertisers
“The 2026 Australian Open demonstrates once again that attention goes hand in hand with emotion,” Hill said.
Hill said a highly powerful event like the Australian Open sets the stage for a “highly receptive mindset” for fans.
“Understanding where and why audiences are most engaged allows brands to align with the nation’s mood and amplify their messages in high-attention environments. By matching the energy of the tournament through contextually relevant creative, brands can move beyond visibility and connect with audiences at the right moment.”