Australian Open 2012 live stream

Of all the roles at the Australian Open, it’s tough to find one where you have to be as flexible as the referee’s. 

It’s a position Wayne McKewen has held for seven years, and he has no idea what will happen when he turns up for work during the tournament. The nature of the weather, the length of the matches and the number of incidents in matches requiring his attention are all in the lap of the gods when he arrives at Melbourne Park about 8am each day.

For most of the year, McKewen is a member of the International Tennis Federation’s Grand Slam officiating team, yet is contracted by Tennis Australia for one month each year to be the tournament referee. In this position he oversees everything on the field of play. 

“Basically everything involved in the match, I oversee that ... As soon as the players walk on court, if there are any issues, it comes through here,” he explains.

“Sometimes you’ll have days where nothing happens, and then you could have days where two or three different things happen on court. (It could be) anything from questions of rules, to whether the court is safe to play on or not, to whether we open or close the roofs, or if we should implement our heat policy.”

McKewen and a team of six Grand Slam supervisors inspect all of Melbourne Park’s courts before matches commence – McKewen normally oversees the larger match courts – to determine if they’re fit for play. Courts are deemed unfit if they’re wet or if there are objects out of position or that should not be there, and play does not begin until these issues have been addressed.

On those days when not much is happening, McKewen takes advantage of the chance to clear an ever-flooded email inbox and catch some tennis courtside, especially on Rod Laver Arena.

The role may be all-encompassing, but there are a few areas of play that are in the hands of others. A chief of officials oversees the umpires that work at the tournament, and chair umpires have the final authority when it comes to whether a ball is deemed in or out, or not up, during play. Everything else rests with McKewen. 

“When it comes to things on court I have the final authority, as to what the rule states, or whether the umpire has interpreted the rules in tennis correctly,” he says.

“If it’s a rules question, players can appeal, and I can make a determination based on my knowledge of the rules of tennis.”

This knowledge comes from an extensive involvement in the game for many years. McKewen was previously a chair umpire and was at the helm for 10 Australian Open men’s finals at Melbourne Park. He has gone on to become a gold-badge referee, which in addition to Grand Slam officiating also makes him eligible to referee at Davis and Fed Cup ties – which he will do following this year’s Australian Open – and the Olympic tennis event.

McKewen says he has not been required on court at this year’s tournament in response to players claiming the chair umpire has misinterpreted the rules of tennis, and that although the  Grand Slam supervisors have been called to court for similar issues almost every day, it is rare they rule in the player’s favour.

“It’s happened in the past I’m sure, but it’s very rare. We’ve got professional chair umpires who all know the rules and have been through certification programs,” he says.

The role presents many challenges, a major one being to find a balance between what is right for the players, the spectators, and the tournament as a whole. McKewen says a prime example of this was the 2008 third-round match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis.

The match was pushed late into the evening due to matches extended longer than expected earlier in the day on Rod Laver Arena, meaning the two men did not take to court until almost midnight, and finished after 4.30am.

“We had quite a few discussions (with the players) in the locker-rooms and explained different scenarios of what we could do and what would be the best option for them, and for tournament, and for fans. In the end we came to an agreement and they were happy with that,” he says.

“Unfortunately it turned out to be one of the longest matches of the tournament, (and) that’s probably one of the toughest challenges. You’ve got some five-set matches that go for an hour, hour-and-a-half, or it could go for five-and-a-half hours. 

“We tend to cop a lot of criticism for having quick matches on Rod Laver Arena when you’ve got great five-set matches going on at Hisense. But how do we know they’re going to be like that?”

McKewen says he’s learnt over the years to process criticism rather than be offended by it – he listens to the point, takes it in, and if it’s a valid criticism he may consider it for next time. 

It’s certainly not something that ruins his enjoyment of an event that he says he loves being a part of.

“Especially here in Melbourne, it’s just such a relaxed atmosphere ... the players love it, the spectators I think are probably some of the best tennis fans in the world, (and) they’re very passionate about it.”