Australian Open 2024: When does it start? When is the draw? Who could Novak Djokovic face?
The first Grand Slam tournament of the 2024 tennis season is fast approaching, with the Australian Open set to begin in Melbourne later this week.
For the first time in the tournament’s 119-year history, this year’s event will see play begin on an opening Sunday, with the event to run from January 14 to 28.
This will be the 112th edition of the Australian Open and the 56th in the Open Era, with first round matches to be played over the first three days, instead of two days as in previous years.
“We’ve listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes while continuing to provide a fair and equitable schedule on the stadium courts,” Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said.
“The additional day will achieve this, benefiting scheduling for fans and players alike. The first round will now be played over three days instead of two, also giving fans an extra day of unbelievable tennis, entertainment, food and family fun.”
The total prize money for the tournament is a record 86.5 million Australian dollars (£46.5m). It is an increase of 13% from last year’s total, with the two singles champions to receive A$3.15m (£1.7m).
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka are the defending singles champions, having defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas and Elena Rybakina in the respective men’s and women’s singes finals in 2023.
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The women’s singles final will be played on Saturday January 27, while the men’s title match will be contested on Sunday January 28.
The singles draws will take place on Thursday January 11, with the time yet to be confirmed. The draws are expected to be revealed on the tournament’s YouTube channel: Australian Open TV.
A number of potentially dangerous unseeded players could await the 32 seeds in both the men’s and women’s draws.
World No 1 and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic could meet one of four major champions in the form of Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem or Maric Cilic in his first match.
Roman Safiullin, who has continued his fine 2023 form into this year by reaching the Brisbane International semi-finals, is one of the unseeded players to watch.
Great Britain’s Jack Draper, who is in action at this week’s Adelaide International, is another player who any seed could face in the opening round.
Former top 10 stars Matteo Berrettini and Denis Shapovalov are also unseeded, having slid down the rankings after missing large periods of last season through injury.
Karolina Pliskova, Naomi Osaka, Sloane Stephens, Emma Raducanu, Mirra Andreeva and Paula Badosa are among a host of notable unseeded entrants on the women’s side who could play world No 1 Iga Swiatek.
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