Aussie Open bans group for lighting flares

A group of men have been banned from the Australian Open after two of them lit flares near the turnstiles on the tennis tournament's first day.

Two of a group of about 20 men lit the flares and dropped them on the footpath as they walked along Birrarung Marr, a park beside the tournament site's perimeter.

Police found the group of young men queuing near Rod Laver Arena and denied them entry.

Tennis Australia later on Monday upgraded the one-day ban to the entire tournament.

"We are a family-friendly event and have zero tolerance for anti-social behaviour," Tennis Australia Events and Facilities Director Tom Larner said in a statement.

"Although the Major Sporting Event Act only allows for a 24-hour ban, our ticketing terms and conditions give us the right to refuse entry, and we've told this group they will not be welcome back."

No arrests were made but police took each person's details, police said.

It's believed the men were heading to support Bosnian player Damir Dzumhur who lost a five-set thriller against Serbia's Viktor Troicki.

More than 720,000 people are expected to attend the event over the course of the two-week tournament, including almost 100,000 visitors from overseas.