Hey tennis fans! The first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments has begun. The 112th edition of the Australian Open will be held from January 14-28 at Melbourne Park. Along with the other three, the French Open (May/June), Wimbledon (June/July), and the US Open (Aug/Sept), these tournaments showcase the best players in the world.
There are a number of players to keep your eyes on at the Australian Open. You can catch defending men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia going up against Croatia's Dino Prizmic on the first day. Djokovic is going for a record extending 25th Grand Slam singles title. On the women's side, you can catch defending women's singles champ Aryna Sabalenka take on Germany’s Ella Seidel.
Also check out Japan’s Naomi Osaka who won the open in 2019 and 2021; she is back on the court after welcoming her daughter in July. Poland’s Iga Świątek is coming in as the #1 seed; the four-time major champ is seeking her first Australian Open. And Coco Gauff, from the US, is bringing confidence to the court after winning her first Grand Slam at the 2023 U.S. Open
On the men’s side, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, was the only player to defeat Djokovic in a Grand Slam final last year, becoming the 2023 Wimbledon champ. Also keep an eye on Jannik Sinner; the 22 year old from Italy is hoping to win his first grand slam.
To get you ready for the upcoming tournament, we’re serving up some fun Australian Open facts you can share with your friends:
- The longest Grand Slam final took place in 2012 when Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in 5 hours and 53 minutes.
- Due to international conflicts, the tournament was not held between 1916 and 1918, or 1940 and 1945.
- Players can expect extreme weather conditions, particularly the intense heat ☀️ making the matches exciting and unpredictable.
- With the extreme heat, about 160,000 ice creams 🍦 and 75,000 hotdogs 🌭 are consumed each year.
- Ken Rosewall is known for being the youngest Australian Open winner (Men's) and also the oldest! Rosewall won in 1953 (at 19 years and 76 days old) and also in 1972 (at 38 years old).
- There are 360 Ballkids, selected from 2500+ applicants including 38 from overseas (including Korea, China, India & France)
- The Australian Open began in 1905 and was played on grass up to 1987. In 1988 it became a hardcourt event when the tournament moved to Melbourne Park (then Flinders Park).
- Every year about 50,000 balls 🎾 are used in the Australian Open.
The women's final is set for Saturday, January 27 followed by the men's final on Sunday, January 28. If you’re in the US, you can follow the action on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN or you can stream on ESPN+. In Canada, you can follow along on TSN. Live updates can be found here.
Will you be watching? Who are you rooting for? Drop us a comment below and let us know! And don't forget to get out and record your tennis activities on Strava to share with your friends!