The first major of the year: What to know about the Australian Open 2024?

With the commencement of the new year, the tennis season has kicked off, and players will be settling scores on the courts of Australia in the first major of the year — the Australian Open. In this overview, we will discuss the new prize fund, tournament dates, and the main contenders.

History of the Australian Open

The tournament was first held in Melbourne in 1905 and was called the Australasian Championship. Only 17 athletes participated in it, but by 1927, the tournament was renamed the Australian Championship, and in 1969, it became open to professionals, acquiring its current name.

Interestingly, by the late 1970s, leading players were earning such large sums that they could afford to skip even a Grand Slam tournament because attending it meant missing the Christmas and New Year holidays. For example, Chris Evert skipped this tournament six times in a row at the peak of her career, Martina Navratilova four times; Björn Borg never participated in the Australian Open after 1974, and Jimmy Connors after 1975.

As a result, winners of the Australian Open were players who wouldn't have been contenders for victory in any other Grand Slam tournament. Therefore, for several consecutive years during that time, the tournament was held in December and was then moved back to January in 1987. It's worth adding that since 1988, the playing surface has been one of the hard court modifications.

Where and when will the Australian Open 2024 take place?

The upcoming tournament will be the 112th in history and will be held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Melbourne Park sports complex. The main draws of the Australian Open 2024 will take place from January 14 to 28, marking the traditional start of the Grand Slam series in the calendar year.

Melbourne Park features three central courts: Hisense Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and Rod Laver Arena. The latter is considered the main court of the tournament, accommodating 15,000 spectators and equipped with a retractable roof for play in rain or intense heat.

How many ranking points can you earn, and what is the prize money at the Australian Open 2024?

As in previous years, Kia is the main sponsor of the tournament. In 2024, the prize fund for the Australian Open has increased by 13%, totaling just over $58 million USD. The distribution of prizes across rounds is outlined below. Notably, prize money for both men and women is equal. The total prize money has increased by 162% over the last ten years. Regarding ranking points, the system for distributing players' points across Grand Slam events remains consistent.

Qualification:

• First Round: $21,000
• Second Round: $30,000
• Third Round: $43,700

Main Draw:

• First Round: $80,700
• Second Round: $121,000
• Third Round: $171,300
• Fourth Round: $252,000
• Quarterfinal: $403,000
• Semifinal: $664,600
• Final: $1,158,000
• Winner: $2,115,000

As for the ranking points, there are no changes here. The system for distributing ranking points for players in the Grand Slam tournament series is the same.

Qualification:

• First round: 0 points
• Second round: 8 points
• Third round: 16 points
• Qualification victory: 30 points

Main draw:

• First round: 10 points
• Second round: 50 points
• Third round: 100 points
• Fourth round: 200 points
• Quarterfinals: 400 points
• Semifinals: 800 points
• Final: 1,300 points
• Winner of the tournament: 2,000 points

Who do bookmakers consider the main favorites of the Australian Open-2024?

Among men, the clear favorite is the world's top-ranked player and last year's tournament winner, Novak Djokovic. Following him are Carlos Alcaraz and the winner of the recent Davis Cup as part of the Italian team, Jannik Sinner. Rafael Nadal, a legendary figure, will not participate in Australia this year due to a muscle injury.

Men's Favorites:

1. Novak Djokovic — 2.12
2. Carlos Alcaraz — 4.35
3. Jannik Sinner — 7.6
4. Daniil Medvedev — 10.2
5. Holger Rune — 23
6. Alexander Zverev — 26
7. Stefanos Tsitsipas — 34
8. Grigor Dimitrov — 41

For the women, the favorite is the world No. 1, Iga Swiatek. Elena Rybakina, Cori Gauff, and last year's winner, Aryna Sabalenka, also have good chances.

Women's Favorites:

1. Iga Swiatek — 3.44
2. Elena Rybakina — 6.35
3. Aryna Sabalenka — 6.4
4. Cori Gauff — 9.2
5. Jessica Pegula — 17
6. Naomi Osaka — 18
7. Ons Jabeur — 19
8. Belinda Bencic and Mirra Andreeva — 23