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Specialist officers equipped with long-arm rifles will patrol the Australian Open tennis, Victoria Police have revealed.
The move comes after specialist police armed with rifles kept fans safe at the recent Ashes cricket Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in response to the terror attack at Bondi Beach.
Members of Victoria Police's Critical Incident Response Team will patrol the Grand Slam venue at Melbourne Park when the tournament begins on January 18.
'We know they [the CIRT officers] will provide the same reassurance for tennis fans and the many visitors the Australian Open attracts,' deputy commissioner Bob Hill said, referring to the successful deployments at the cricket.
South Australian Police used specialist officers from the state's Security Response Section to ensure safety at the Adelaide Oval during the third Test.
According to a South Australian Police statement, the SRS 'was created as an extra layer of protection for people attending large events, and where large crowds gather'.
Fans attending the Australian Open to see stars like local hope Alex De Minaur (pictured) will be kept safe by heavily armed police
The specialist officers will be equipped with long-arm rifles like those used by South Australian Police during the Ashes (pictured)
Officers patrolled Adelaide Oval with rifles after the Bondi massacre - with police following suit as the cricket moved to Melbourne and Sydney
The statement added that SRS officers would 'look different to general duties police officers - they will wear ballistic vests and carry rifles when on duty. Other equipment carried by SRS officers include a pistol, taser, pepper spray, baton, helmet and radio'.
Similarly armed police were present for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Officers from the NSW Police Riot Squad carried long-arm firearms at and around the SCG for the final Test of the series last week.
'Many people may not be used to seeing police carrying rifles at sporting events, but our objective here is to help the public feel safe, and police will be out in force,' NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said.
'The difference will be in the visibility of long-arms and a stronger presence. Police will otherwise be targeting antisocial and unsafe behaviour as usual.'
NSW Police stressed that the upgraded security was not made in response to a specific threat.
Past Australian Opens have been targeted by protesters, with pro-Palestine demonstrators interrupting matches at the Grand Slam last year.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said swift action will be taken over any disturbances at this year's event.
'There's a zero-tolerance approach to anyone who comes on site with the aim of creating a disturbance or disruption,' he told News Corp.
'If anyone is onsite with intent to disrupt the enjoyment of the fans, they will be removed.'
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