Arguably the country’s biggest sporting event is just around the corner, with the Australian Open’s return set to start the rally of another tennis calendar year.
After a jam-packed 2023 season, the world’s greatest tennis players are finally set to ascend on the blue courts of Melbourne Park again for the 2024 Australian Open.
Both competitions – men’s and women’s – are set to be blockbusters, with Novak Djokovic aiming to secure a record 11th title, while all eyes are fixed on whether Iga Swiatek can showcase her dominance on the hard court surfaces down under.
Fans will be even more delighted with the first tennis major of 2024, as some of the sport’s favourite players are returning to the court, with Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal locked in to try and claim another Australian Open title.
The rumour mill seems to be churning with news that this could well be the last time we see Nadal participate in the Grand Slam, after a couple of years dealing with injuries and having missed the majority of 2023.
If this is proven to be true, then fans will not want to miss watching arguably the greatest tennis player of all time grace the Melbourne Park courts one last time.
With plenty of storylines entering the first Grand Slam of the new year, here’s everything you need to know for the 2024 Australian Open.
When and where is the 2024 Australian Open?
Sunday, January 14 – Sunday, January 28, 2024 — Melbourne
The first serve of the 2024 Australian Open will be in mid-January (Jan 14), with a total of 128 singles players set to serve, volley and slam their way towards a Grand Slam victory.
The entirety of the event will played at Melbourne Park – the tennis complex in the centre of the Victorian capital – the same as always.
How to get tickets to the Australia Open
Tennis Australia and the Australian Open have plenty of different ticketing options from day passes to multiple ground passes and tickets to some individual matches such as the finals.
Get your ticket for the 2024 Australian Open here.
How to watch
All the action will be on Nine – including Nine Now – and also the Nine-owned Stan Sport. The two streaming platforms will have live feeds of basically every court.
Who will be playing at Melbourne Park?
You’ll want to buy your Open tickets once you hear about the players returning to participate in the Grand Slam.
Headlining the field is the re-emergence of former singles champions Rafael Nadal and Naomi Osaka, who have dealt with long-term layoffs after taking out the event in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
Angelique Kerber is another returning champion who is mounting a comeback; all three however have not played a tour-level match in some time — Nadal 11 months, Osaka 15 months, and Kerber 18 months.
For Nadal – the 22-time major champion – entering a Grand Slam with limited professional matches under the belt will be challenging considering the strength of the competition he’s up against.
The simple question in the men’s competition right now is ‘Who can stop Novak Djokovic?’, and with Rafa coming off a 12-month injury hiatus, it would be a ‘Tiger Woods-esque’ comeback for the Spaniard to dethrone the Serb.
Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner and Australia’s not-so-favourite Daniil Medvedev are the main challengers for Djokovic this time around.
Similarly, for Kerber and Osaka, who are both coming off maternity leave, it will be a difficult tournament to return to, but both are former champions so do not count them out.
In the women’s competition, Iga Swiatek seems the one to knock off as she’s had another incredible year, winning the French Open and making it through the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka is Swiatek’s major threat but because of Osaka being at her prime athletic age, a comeback miracle win could be on the cards.
Who won the singles titles in 2023?
Men’s champion: Novak Djokovic – 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Women’s Champion: Aryna Sablenka – 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 vs Elena Rybakina
