The Australasian Championships became the Australian Championships in 1927. The name change reflected the tournament’s increasingly Australian identity after New Zealand’s involvement in the championship had declined.
The competition began in 1905 as the Australasian Championships, a title suited to an event representing Australia and New Zealand. It was staged in several cities during its early decades, including Christchurch and Hastings in New Zealand, as well as Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth in Australia.
The 1927 edition was held at Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne from 22 January to 1 February. It was the first tournament officially known as the Australian Championships. Gerald Patterson won the men’s singles title, while Esna Boyd won the women’s singles title.
The 1927 change is often confused with the later transition to the modern name. The event became the Australian Open in 1969, when the Open Era allowed professionals to compete alongside amateurs. Thus, 1927 marks the change from “Australasian” to “Australian,” not the beginning of the Australian Open name.