Famed reporter Christiane Amanpour to complete her own grand slam at the Australian Open

As CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour once put it, “I’ve been in the ring for a long time with many of these people”.

“These people” was a reference to the many world leaders the lauded foreign correspondent has encountered over the years, including Donald Trump, Yasser Arafat and Nicolás Maduro – experiences she will reflect on later this month at a very different forum: the Australian Open.

Christiane Amanpour on the set of her program Christiane & Co. Credit: AP

Amanpour, 68, will visit Melbourne to headline The AO Inspirational Series, traditionally held ahead of the women’s semi-final matches in the second week of the tournament.

Previous speakers at the event include former prime minister Julia Gillard, former US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, grand slam winner Evonne Goolagong Cawley and supermodel Elle Macpherson.

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Amanpour rose to global attention during the 1990s while reporting on the Bosnian war and has won numerous awards for her work.

While perhaps best known for her incisive interview style, what is less known is her obsession with tennis. To date, the AO is the only tennis grand slam she has not yet attended.

Amanpour said she was thrilled to take part in the Inspirational Series, where she will be on stage in conversation with former Nine journalist Liz Hayes.

“Actually, I’m the one who will be inspired, by my first-ever visit to Australia, and by completing my own grand slam by finally attending the Australian Open. I look forward to this unique experience.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Amanpour has “shaped global conversations for decades” and will be a welcome inclusion for the series in its 10th year.

“Her conversation will no doubt offer a rare and powerful perspective on truth, resilience, and leadership, values that inspired the creation of the AO Inspirational Series and are shared by all of us at the Australian Open.”

Amanpour grew up between the UK and Iran before immigrating to the United States with her family in 1979 following the Iranian revolution.

In addition to serving as chief international anchor, she also hosts programs on CNN and the US Public Broadcasting Service, and hosts the podcast The Ex-Files, with former US assistant secretary of state James Rubin, to whom she was married from 1998 to 2018.

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