The men’s finals were followed by an awards ceremony when a tennis official referred to global vaccine efforts as a sign of optimism.
Australia began its national immunization program on Monday. There were anti-vaccination demonstrations in some cities over the weekend.
Male number one player Novak Djokovic won the final against Russian Daniel Medvedev on Sunday.
The performance was criticized by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, he said, “I don’t like any event and any sporting event.”
“This vaccine is going to bring back some kind of pre-Kovid normality to our country.”
Australia closed the first phase of its vaccine program on Monday. Frontline, health, and quarantine activists are queuing up to get the first dose of 60,000 Pfizer vaccines this week.
While the vaccine has widespread support at the local level, it has also led to protests. Small crowds of anti-vaccination protesters marched in cities including Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday to protest its rollout.
In Melbourne, where the Australian Open was held, the crowd also made mention of the Victorian state government when tennis Australia chief Jane Hurdlika thanked the officials.
Last week, the government ordered Victoria residents into a five-day lockdown amid fears of an outbreak. The tennis program was allowed to proceed and the virus did not spread.
The vaccine is not mandatory in Australia but is highly encouraged by health authorities. Australia aims to cover four million people – about a sixth of the population – by early March.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was one of the first people to receive his attention on Sunday, which aired the event in an effort to build national confidence.
Government polling showed that two-thirds of Australians say they would “definitely” get vaccinated, while more than a quarter are “undecided”.
Australia has received Pfizer vaccine supplements and approved the AstraZeneca jab last week.
Both have undergone extensive security checks and are already being used in many countries.
Critics have suggested a delay relative to the roll-out of the vaccine in Australia – compared to other Western countries – could explain the recent small uproar in people’s “unsure” about receiving it.
The government has defended the slow roll-out by stating that it wanted all elements to be fully approved by regulators and that the low infection rate meant that it does not warrant immediate delivery.
As of Monday, there were 40 active cases in Australia, with most in their hotel quarantine program. The nation has recorded around 29,000 cases and the 909 epidemics has resulted in fewer deaths than many nations.
