The archetypal power crowd of bizoids, pollies and celebs filled out Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night for the women's singles final of the Australian Open. And with Serena Williams pitted against relative unknown Angelique Kerber, most spectators had planned on being there for a good time, not a long time. 
But a combination of Williams' unforced errors and Kerber's command performance meant many 9pm dinner reservations around the city would've been cancelled.
This was happy news for Tennis Australia's broadcaster, Seven, for whom the three riveting sets, ending close to 10pm, was manna from ratings heaven.
Seven Group chief Ryan Stokes, Seven West Media chief Tim Worner and Seven's commercial director Bruce McWilliam hosted pre-match sharpeners for key advertisers and partners, including Telstra CEO Andy Penn (resplendent in brown suede double monk straps), Youi CEO Hugo Schreuder, Twitter's Australian chief Karen Stocks and outgoing ACMA chairman Chris Chapman.
Courtside, Worner sat beside 39th seed (and new Aussie) Daria Gavrilova while Stokes had AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick for company.
On the ceremonial side of the net, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove took pride of place beside Premier Daniel Andrews, federal Health Minister Sussan Ley and Tennis Australia's under siege president Steve Healy.
Over Healy's shoulder in the second row was his Board ally Harold Mitchell (sitting so far from the Stokes clan!) alongside Australia's third-richest person Harry "High Rise" Triguboff and former Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose.
On the turn was Optus chairman Paul O'Sullivan alongside Singtel director Peter Mason, while in the second row chief lobbyist David Epstein showed his Labor colours, hosting shadow defence minister Stephen Conroy (and his wife, NAB's chief spinner/lobbyist Paula Benson), shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus and trade union apologist Brendan O'Connor. Hang on, looks like Liberal MP Bruce Billson got a start too!
In the next seating block was Gina Rinehart's lieutenant Tad Watroba (who looked to be really enjoying his ice cream), and behind him in the second row ANZ Banking Group's Shayne Elliott.
On the next corner was shadow Australian of the Year Michelle Payne of Prince of Penzance fame with former Olympian Ian Thorpe. In the bleachers nearby were William Hill Australia chief executive Tom Waterhouse, long-forgotten Tasmanian Liberal leader Bob Cheek and federal Liberal MP (and former pro circuiteer) John Alexander.
FYI - we made it back to Rockpool by 10:21pm.