Welcome to the group chat with Lucy Manly, where Australian society’s most trusted insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news. Last week she was at Melbourne Park for the launch of the Australian Open…
It’s Pip’s world, we just live in it
It wasn’t the match between Novak Djokovic And Nishesh Basavareddy that set tongues wagging on Monday evening at the Australian Open.
Instead, it was the motley crew of famous faces in “the brow”—all guests of Ralph Lauren—that ultimately turned heads.
When the match started, the group made a major tennis misstep by walking in after the first serve had bounced and clip-knocking down the stairs to their well-positioned seats as if it were their own runway.
For those unfamiliar, tennis etiquette prioritizes minimal disruption to the players and other spectators, so it is generally considered bad form to enter after play has started.
Pip Edwards was spotted deep in conversation with Aussie expat legal eagle Jennifer Robinson as the ‘Ralph Lauren crew’ advanced at the Open
Pip (centre) and Robinson (right) later posed for a fierce photo on the court with actress Krew Boylan (left), known for the TV film Schapelle Corby
Most tournaments have ushers who enforce the policy of only allowing entry during breaks in play, such as between games or during substitutions.
But such unspoken rules didn’t apply to the tracksuit queen Beep Edwards, model Rebecca Harding and actress Krew Boylanknown from the TV film Schapelle Corby, who were allowed to enter anyway.
A surprising addition to the Ralph Lauren set was the Aussie expat legal eagle Jennifer Robinsonwho the London press likes to call ‘the A-list go-to lawyer’.
She has managed high-profile cases, including those of Amber Heard and Julian Assange, and was even a guest at George and Amal Clooney’s wedding in 2014.
No wonder Pip was more interested in biting off her ear than watching the match. Beware, Jackie O. Pip may have a new best friend.
What’s behind the Judds’ act of disappearance?
You would think, given their participation in the Australian Open every year, that Melbourne is a power couple Chris And Bec Judd were die-hard tennis fans.
Whether you’re sitting courtside or sipping champagne in the luxurious Piper-Heidsieck champagne bar, the Judds are always a fixture at Melbourne Park.
Pip Edwards made a huge tennis mistake at the Australia Open, where she was a guest in the Ralph Lauren marquee
Model Rebecca Harding was another high-profile guest of Ralph Lauren at the Open this week
Actress Krew Boylan posed in the Ralph Lauren marquee before taking a seat next to Pip’s court
And tennis is a lucrative sport to play for the power couple, with the best seats offered by the buzzing brand – no doubt in return for some social media juice from the WAG ‘Queen bee’, who obliged by wearing a pop of red for Piper.
Bec certainly promoted herself as a field player on Sunday night – and she did so, throughout the women’s match – only for the pair to sneak out early in the second men’s match during the night session.
Two days later, Bec shared a “get ready with me” video on social media, thanking her brand partners for the memorable experience.
“Thank you for preparing my hair Mermade Hair and thank you to Piper-Heidsieck for the amazing experience,” she gushed.
‘The Aus Open is definitely a highlight of the year.’
Perhaps their Irish farewell was to avoid another embarrassing encounter with someone like Toby Mitchell, Mongolia’s former motorcycle boss-turned-influencer, whom they sat next to last year.
Chris and Bec Judd are mainstays at Melbourne Park, but left their top spot at the beginning of this year
The power couple from Melbourne sat courtside courtesy of champagne brand Piper-Heidsieck
Last year, former Bikie boss Toby Mitchell shared this photo of himself next to the Judds, but Bec refused to look at the camera
Mitchell shared a photo with his more than 340,000 Instagram followers and while Chris did so and looked at the camera, Bec chose not to and looked at her phone.
Hard to take seriously complaining about crime in Brighton when you’re standing next to characters like Mitchell, isn’t it, Bec?
And finally… guess who, don’t sue
Which famous socialite drank one too many champagne between tennis sets last week when she took on the role of proud stage mother?
The Group Chat hears the Melbourne maven showed photos of her (of legal age) teenage daughter in lingerie to fellow diners at a chic bistro.
According to a bystander, she kept asking if one of the men wanted to ask her out taking long, sensual drags of her berry flavored vapor.
The subjects of this blind item are not mentioned or depicted elsewhere in this article.