The 119-year-old tennis tournament Australia Open is starting from today, which will run till January 28. The 112th edition of the tournament, which started in 1905, will be played this year. Record 10-time champion Novak Djokovic will take to the court this year too to save his existence.

This is going to be the first time in 25 years that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will not be in the tournament. Nadal committed suicide during the Brisbane ATP 250 this year. Whereas Roger Federer has taken Saint.

The last time the tournament was held without Nadal or Federer was in 1999.
The last time both of them did not play was in the 1999 Australian Open. Swiss player Feder debuted in 2000 and participated until 2021. During this period he won 6 titles (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017 and 2018).

At the same time, Spain’s Nadal played in Australia for the first time in 2004 (third round in South) and won in 2009 and 2022. He missed the 2006 and 2013 performances due to injury.

Nadal won his first title in Melbourne in 2009. Federer cried after losing to Nadal in the final.

The first Grand Slam of the year is Australia Open.
There are 4 Grand Slams in tennis. All four are held annually, starting with the Australian Open in January. The French Open takes place in May and June. Wimbledon is held in July and US Open in August-September. The US Open is the last Grand Slam of the year.

The first season was played at the Cricket Ground
The Low Tennis Association of Australia started this tournament in 1905. The first season of the tournament was played at the Albert Cricket Ground in Melbourne, which later became tennis courts.

This tournament was first called the Australian Championship. The lone Tennis Association of Australia later became Tennis Association Australia. After this the Australian Championship was named Australian Open. Since 1969, this tennis tournament has been officially known by this name.

The tournament was being held from Melbourne in 1972
The tournament has taken place 110 times since 1905 in five Australian cities, Melbourne city (66 times), Sydney (17 times), Adelaide (15 times), Brisbane (7 times), Perth (3 times), and New Zealand’s two Christchurch (1906). And it was played at Hastings (1912).

The tournament did not lead to a world war between 1916 to 1918 and 1940 to 1945.

The association took the decision in 1972 to hold the tournament every year in Melbourne, as it attracted the largest number of spectators. The tournament was played at the Kooyong Loan Tennis Club from 1972 to 1988. Since 1988 it has now been taking place in Melbourne Park.

There are a total of 6 courts at Melbourne Park where clusters take place. Of these, Rod Laver Arena is the largest.

There are warehouses on hard courts
The Australia Open is played on hard courts. Before 1987, this tournament was played on grass courts like Wimbledon. Then from 1988 to 2007 it was played on green hard courts. Since 2008, the color of the court has become blue.

Of the four Grand Slams, only Wimbledon is played on grass courts. At the same time, US and Australia Open Hard Court, and France Open Claim Court are also played.

Prize money of Rs 481.2 crore
The total cost of Australia Open this year is Rs 481.2 crore. There has been a loss of 13 percent in prize money this year compared to last year’s budget. The winner of men’s and women’s singles is worth around Rs 17.50 crore. There is different prize money at each stage for all classes in the tournament.

Djokovic has the most singles titles
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic has the most singles Australian Open titles (10). If you like the Amateur Era, then the next biggest title (6) is with Roy Emerson of Australia.

The Open Era in tennis began in 1968 when all players (amateur and professional) were allowed to participate in Grand Slam tournaments. This is called Open Era.

Women’s event started in 1922, Williams won the biggest title
The women’s event at the Australian Open began in 1922. The biggest title (7) in the Open Era is the name of American player Serena Williams. At the same time, the biggest title of all time (Amateur Era and Open Era) is in the name of Australia’s Margaret Smith Court (11).

Djokovic and Sabalenka reign as men’s and women’s champions
Novak Djokovic is the reigning champion of the Australian Open. He defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the singles final last year. At the same time, the champion of women’s singles is Arina Sabalenka. Sabalenka gave a coma to Elena Rybkina in the 2023 final.

The stable champions of the mixed doubles event are Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos of Brazil. They defeated the Indian pair of Sania Mirza and Rohin Bopanna in the final. Not participating in the Indian doubles event. Sania Mirza has retired from tennis in 2023.

India’s forerunner Paes has the title of most mixed doubles as United
India has won the maximum number of titles in the mixed doubles category of Australia Open. He is jointly ranked first with Jim Pugh of America and Daniel Nestor of Canada. Three players have won the title in this category 3 times. Paes won the Australian Open in 2003, 2005 and 2015.

India’s Sumit Nagal is the only Indian in the tournament this year
India’s top-ranked tennis singles player Sumit Nagal will be the only Indian to participate in the Australian Open 2024 this year. He drew in the second period instead of Pakka. Nagal had earlier made it to the main draw of the tournament in 2021. In the year 2021, Nagal got a wild card entry in the first round of Australian Open, but then she lost.

Nagal will face Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the first round of Australia Open.

The main drivers of all Grand Slams had previously played qualifiers.
The entry of some players into all the ranking tournaments organized by ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) is done through qualifier matches. This gives top-ranked players from other countries a chance to play in the tournament.

Qualifiers are played at major levels before the main draws of the Australian Open and the remaining three Grand Slams. This year, a total of 128 players played qualifiers in the singles event and 16 of them got a place in the main draw.