Friend,

Tennis is the perfect “serious times” sport

The Australian Open vs Australia Day: a quiet inversion worth noticing

On January 26 in Melbourne, two things now reliably happen.

One is loud, political, and morally charged. The other is polished, global, and relentlessly well-produced.

And every year, one is winning the attention war by a wider margin.

The numbers tell the story:

• 2024: AO 56,763 vs Australia Day rallies 35,000
• 2025: AO 66,907 vs ~25,000
• 2026: AO 70,550 vs ~19,000

Weird right? Different motivations. Different meanings. But same city. Same day. Same finite pool of attention.

This isn’t just about the fact Australia has failed to find national unity about a national day. And it sure as hell isn't about tennis for many of us.

But it is about what people (audiences) are giving their attention and emotional energy.

So what for us?

Lesson one: being first still matters (more than we like to admit)

The Australian Open isn’t just big. It’s first.

• First major tennis event globally
• First major international sporting event of the year
• And thus the first moment brands, media and audiences reassemble at scale after the holidays

PR people have known this forever, but it’s easy to forget the curtain-raiser shapes the tone.

If you own the opening chapter, you can frame everything that follows.

Financial services leaders take note... this applies to reporting seasons, category leadership and positioning.

Timing isn’t cosmetic. It's strategic and it gives you narrative power.

Lesson two: this isn’t socio-demographic — it’s psychological

The shift isn’t really about generations, GDP, or grandiose unpredictable politicians.

It’s about collective mood. Right now thats:

• Quiet luxury
• Low-key consumption
• Composure as status

Or simply: less noise, please. When geopolitics hardens, economies wobble, and institutions feel brittle, people don’t reach for spectacle. They seek control, discipline, and restraint.

Which brings us to tennis.

Tennis is the perfect “serious times” sport.

• Quiet luxury: logos speaking not creaming, no excess, no chaos
• Individual accountability: no hiding behind a team
• Composure under pressure: emotion managed, not indulged

This isn’t new. Historically, fashion, design and culture always tighten up in uncertain periods. Hemlines drop. Palettes neutralise. Interiors calm down.

Osaka’s jellyfish fit wasn’t loud luxury — it was coded luxury. If you know, you know.

Why this matters for financial services

This is a reputational challenge and an opportunity. The Australian Open’s rise is a signal to heed.

In turbulent times, audiences are shifting their attention, their favour and their dollars.

For leaders, brands and institutions, especially in financial services, the message is simple. Composure, control and calm are now currency.

Get it right early and you'll set the tone for everyone else.

High stakes. Easy to screw up. But very powerful if you get it right.

A big thank you to my team who contributed all the good ideas: Claire, Jyoti, and Noah.

On our radar

Policy and regulatory developments that may shape your risk or return

ASX expenses expand in 2026 

Following a $150 million charge by ASIC in December, the ASX has reported a leap in expenses of 23 per cent in 2026. ASIC’s charge is the capstone to operational issues and outages throughout the 2025 calendar year, but the 11.2 per cent increase in operating revenue reported in its first-half results is intended by the ASX to give a clearer picture to investors of its 2026 trajectory.

Increased inflation signals likely interest rate rise 

Rising to 3.7 per cent from 3.2 per cent, annual inflation has fuelled concerns that interest rates may rise for the first time in over two years. The trimmed annual figure hit 3.3 per cent, putting it above the RBA’s target and making it a key figure of discussion leading into the institution’s February Monetary Policy Board meeting. Economists have locked in a 0.25 per cent interest rate rise next week, taking the cash rate to 3.85 per cent.

Australian Open hits 40-0 on attendance, but privacy concerns loom 

In the tournament’s highest attended year to date, audiences are encouraged to use a scan of their face for express entry. Customers can opt out manually, but privacy commissioner Carly Kind has expressed concern about the onus being on the customer. It is part of the number of AI-powered initiatives implemented in this year’s Open.

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This week's market movers

Big plays, bold bets, and (occasional) unconfirmed speculation

Australia’s AI dream hinges on resource access - Australia’s ambition in the AI race will depend on securing access to energy and water. Projections put energy usage at 13 per cent of the national grid by 2030, while Sydney Water projects an increase to 25 per cent of the city’s water supply consumed by data centres by 2035 if growth continues as anticipated.

Pilbara wind farm begins mining move to decarbonise - Fortescue Metals has begun construction of a wind farm in the Pilbara, aiming to offset carbon emissions from its iron ore mining. It hopes to be the “first of many”, in a trend to reduce carbon footprints in the sector.

Value of gold surpasses expectations - Gold and silver have surpassed USD$5,000 and USD$100 per ounce respectively, marking record highs at a rate not expected until later in the year. This growth is dependent on economic instability, and risks slowing if conditions calm.

Best,

Carden | she/her (here’s why that matters @work)