Tennis in Australia refers to the sport of tennis played in Australia. Tennis in Australia has been administered by Tennis Australia (formerly the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia (LTAA)) since 1904.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Melbourne_Park_-_Tennis.jpg_%28cropped.png/500px-Melbourne_Park_-_Tennis.jpg_%28cropped.png)
Australia hosts the first of the four Grand Slam events of the year, the Australian Open. The Australian Open is managed by Tennis Australia and was first played in Melbourne in 1905. The tournament was first known as the Australasian Championships and then became the Australian Championships in 1927 and the Australian Open in 1969.[2]
History
editIn the 1950s, Australia became a tennis power, and Australian men won the Davis Cup 15 times from 1950 to 1967, led by outstanding players such as Frank Sedgman, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Roy Emerson, and Ashley Cooper.[3]
Rod Laver has twice achieved the Grand Slam in men's singles, in 1962 and 1969, the only tennis player to have accomplished this feat. Fellow Australian tennis player Margaret Smith Court also achieved the Grand Slam in women's singles in 1970, Margaret Court also holds the record for the greatest number of women's singles Grand Slams won and is one of only three players ever to have won a career Grand Slam "boxed set"
Major tournaments and current champions
editAustralian Open
editCurrent champions
edit
|
Most recent finals
edit2024 Event | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|
Men's singles | Jannik Sinner | Daniil Medvedev | 3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 |
Women's singles | Aryna Sabalenka | Zheng Qinwen | 6–3, 6–2 |
Men's doubles | Rohan Bopanna Matthew Ebden |
Simone Bolelli Andrea Vavassori |
7–6(7–0), 7–5. |
Women's doubles | Hsieh Su-wei Elise Mertens |
Lyudmyla Kichenok Jeļena Ostapenko |
6-1, 7-5 |
Mixed doubles | Hsieh Su-wei Jan Zieliński |
Desirae Krawczyk Neal Skupski |
6–7(5–7), 6–4, [11–9] |
Pre–Australian Open
editTournament | Category | Current champion | Current runner-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Cup | 2024 United Cup | Germany | Poland | 2–1 |
Brisbane International | 2024 Brisbane International – Men's singles ATP 250 | Grigor Dimitrov | Holger Rune | 7–6(7–5), 6–4 |
2024 Brisbane International – Women's singles WTA 500 | Elena Rybakina | Aryna Sabalenka | 6–0, 6–3 | |
Adelaide International | 2024 Adelaide International – Men's singles ATP 250 | Jiří Lehečka | Jack Draper | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
2024 Adelaide International – Women's singles WTA 500 | Jeļena Ostapenko | Daria Kasatkina | 6–3, 6–2 | |
Hobart International | 2024 Hobart International – Singles WTA 250 | Emma Navarro | Elise Mertens | 6–1, 4–6, 7–5 |
Lower Tier Tournaments
editATP Challenger Tour
editThe ATP Challenger Tour is the second tier of professional tennis tournaments run by the Association of Tennis Professionals. These tournaments offer up to 175 rankings points with five Challenger events currently held in Australia, Canberra in the first week of the tour, back-to-back events in Burnie, Tasmania in the fortnight following the Australian Open and in Playford, South Australia then Sydney, New South Wales in the fortnight following the ATP Tour's Asian Swing.[4]
Tournament | Points | Most Recent | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canberra Tennis International | 125 | January, 2024 | Dominik Koepfer | Jakub Menšík | 6–3, 6–2 |
Burnie International | 75 | January, 2024 | Omar Jasika | Alex Bolt | 6–2, 6–7(2–7), 6–3 |
Burnie International II | 75 | February, 2024 | Adam Walton | Dane Sweeny | 6–2, 7–6(7–4) |
City of Playford Tennis International | 75 | October, 2023 | James Duckworth | Coleman Wong | 7–5, 7–5 |
NSW Open Challenger | 75 | October, 2023 | Taro Daniel | Marc Polmans | 6–2, 6–4 |
WTA 125 Tournaments
editThe WTA 125 Tournaments is the second tier of WTA events with each event worth 125 points. There are 20 WTA 125 Tournaments, one of which is held in Canberra, simultaneously with the ATP Challenger event.
Tournament | Points | Most Recent | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canberra Tennis International | 175 | January, 2024 | Nuria Párrizas Díaz | Harriet Dart | 6–4, 6–3 |
Highest ranked players
editNumber 1 Ranked Players
edit
|
Top 10 Ranked Players
editThe lists include Australian players who have had a ranking inside the ATP or WTA top 10. The rankings were introduced in 1973 (men) and 1975 (women).
Men's Singles
editSource[5]
Player | Ranking | Date reached top 10 | ATP Tour | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | Current | Turned Pro | Retired | Titles | ||
John Newcombe | 1 | N/A | 1973, 23 August | 1967 | 1981 | 41 |
Pat Rafter | 1 | N/A | 1997, 8 September | 1991 | 2002 | 11 |
Lleyton Hewitt | 1 | N/A | 2000, 15 May | 1998 | 2016 | 20 |
Ken Rosewall | 2 | N/A | 1973, 23 August | 1956 | 1980 | 14 |
Rod Laver | 3 | N/A | 1973, 23 August | 1963 | 1979 | 72 |
Pat Cash | 4 | N/A | 1984, 10 September | 1982 | 1997 | 6 |
Peter McNamara | 7 | N/A | 1981, 6 July | 1974 | 1987 | 5 |
Alex de Minaur | 7 | 7 | 2024, January 8 | 2015 | 9 | |
Tony Roche | 8 | N/A | 1975, 26 July | 1963 | 1979 | 46 |
John Alexander | 8 | N/A | 1975, 21 October | 1967 | 1985 | 7 |
Mark Philippoussis | 8 | N/A | 1999, 29 March | 1994 | 2008 | 11 |
Women's Singles
editSource[6]
Player | Ranking | Date reached top 10 | WTA Tour | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | Current | Turned Pro | Retired | Titles | ||
Evonne Goolagong Cawley | 1 | N/A | 1975, November 3 | 1967 | 1983 | 86 |
Ashleigh Barty | 1 | N/A | 2019, April 1 | 2010 | 2022 | 15 |
Wendy Turnbull | 3 | N/A | 1977, November 27 | 1975 | 1989 | 11 |
Hana Mandlikova | 3 | N/A | 1980, June 9 | 1978 | 1990 | 27 |
Dianne Fromholtz | 4 | N/A | 1976, September 14 | 1973 | 1990 | 8 |
Margaret Court | 5 | N/A | 1975, November 3 | 1960 | 1977 | 92 |
Jelena Dokic | 4 | N/A | 2001, October 8 | 1998 | 2014 | 6 |
Samantha Stosur | 4 | N/A | 2010, March 22 | 1999 | 2023 | 9 |
Kerry Melville | 7 | N/A | 1975, November 3 | 1963 | 1979 | 22 |
Alicia Molik | 8 | N/A | 2005, January 31 | 1996 | 2011 | 5 |
Doubles
editThe lists include the 5 best ranked Australian players. The rankings were introduced in 1976 (men) and 1984 (women).
Men
editPlayer | Ranking No. | ATP Tour | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | Current | Turned Pro | Retired | Titles | |
Paul McNamee | 1 | N/A | 1973 | 1988 | 23 |
John Fitzgerald | 1 | N/A | 1980 | 1997 | 30 |
Todd Woodbridge | 1 | N/A | 1988 | 2005 | 83 |
Mark Woodforde | 1 | N/A | 1984 | 2000 | 67 |
Matthew Ebden | 1 | 1 | 2006 | 11 | |
John Peers | 2 | 45 | 2011 | 24 | |
Peter McNamara | 3 | N/A | 1974 | 1987 | 19 |
Mark Edmondson | 3 | N/A | 1975 | 1987 | 34 |
Women
editPlayer | Ranking No. | WTA Tour | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | Current | Turned Pro | Retired | Titles | |
Rennae Stubbs | 1 | N/A | 1992 | 2011 | 60 |
Sam Stosur | 1 | N/A | 1999 | 2023 | 27 |
Storm Hunter | 1 | 4 | 2013 | 8 | |
Casey Dellacqua | 3 | N/A | 2002 | 2018 | 7 |
Elizabeth Smylie | 5 | N/A | 1982 | 1997 | 36 |
Ashleigh Barty | 5 | N/A | 2010 | 2022 | 12 |
Performance timelines since 2000
editW | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Men's singles
editTournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | SR | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 4R | SF | 2R | 4R | 4R | F | 3R | 3R | 4R | 2R | 4R | 3R | 4R | 2R | 2R | QF | 4R | 3R | 4R | 3R | 4R | 3R | 4R | 4R | 4R | 0 / 25 | |
French Open | 4R | QF | 4R | 3R | QF | 2R | 4R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | QF | 0 / 25 | |
Wimbledon | F | F | W | F | QF | SF | QF | 4R | 4R | QF | 4R | QF | 1R | 4R | QF | 4R | 4R | 1R | 3R | 3R | NH | 3R | F | 3R | 1 / 23 | ||
US Open | SF | W | SF | QF | F | SF | QF | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 3R | 3R | QF | 4R | QF | 3R | QF | 4R | 1 / 24 | ||
Year-end championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ATP Finals | RR | W | W | DNQ | F | A | Did not qualify | 2 / 4 |
Women's singles
editTournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | 3R | 3R | 2R | 4R | 4R | QF | 4R | 3R | 4R | QF | 4R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 4R | 2R | 4R | 4R | 3R | QF | SF | QF | W | 2R | 3R | 1 / 25 |
French Open | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 3R | SF | F | 3R | SF | 3R | 4R | 3R | SF | 4R | 3R | W | 2R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1 / 25 |
Wimbledon | SF | 2R | 1R | 3R | 4R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 4R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 4R | NH | W | QF | 1R | 1 / 23 | |
US Open | 4R | 3R | 2R | 3R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | QF | W | QF | 2R | 4R | 4R | 2R | 3R | 4R | 4R | 1R | 3R | QF | 2R | 1 / 23 | |
Year-end championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WTA Finals | Did not qualify | SF | SF | RR | Did not qualify | W | NH | Did not qualify | 1 / 4 |
Davis Cup
editSee: Australian Davis Cup Team
Titles - 28 (1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1914, 1919, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1999, 2003).
Runners-up - 21 (1912, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2022, 2023).
Billie Jean King Cup
editFormerly named Fed Cup
Titles - 7 (1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974)
Runners-up - 11 (1963, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1993, 2019, 2022)
Olympic Medals
editResult | Year | Venue | Surface | Division | Player(s) | Opponent(s) | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronze | 1988 | Seoul, South Korea | Hard | Women's doubles | Elizabeth Smylie | n/a | n/a |
Bronze | 1992 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | Women's doubles | Rachel McQuillan | n/a | n/a |
Gold | 1996 | Atlanta, Georgia, US (3) | Hard | Men's doubles | Todd Woodbridge | Neil Broad | 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
4th Place | 2000 | Sydney, Australia | Hard | Women's singles | Jelena Dokic | Monica Seles | 1–6, 4–6 |
Silver | 2000 | Sydney, Australia | Hard | Men's doubles | Todd Woodbridge | Sébastien Lareau | 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 6–7 |
Bronze | 2004 | Athens, Greece | Hard | Women's singles | Alicia Molik | Anastasia Myskina | 6–3, 6–4 |
Bronze | 2020 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Mixed doubles | Ashleigh Barty | Novak Djokovic | w/o |
Broadcasting
editAustralian Open
editFrom 1973 until 2018, the Australian Open was broadcast in Australia on the Seven Network. In March, 2018 it was announced that rival network, the Nine Network had won the rights to televise the tournament for $60 million per year, for five years between 2020 and 2024. While the contract was not to begin until 2020, the Nine Network, incumbent rights holders the Seven Network and Tennis Australia negotiated to bring this forward by one year allowing Nine to telecast the Australian Open from 2019.[7] In 2022 the Nine Network and Tennis Australia agreed to a further five years with Nine paying $85 million per year to telecast the event from 2025 until 2029.[8] In addition to the Australian Open, Nine have the exclusive rights to televise the Australian-held lead in events including the United Cup, Brisbane International, Adelaide International and formerly the Hopman Cup, ATP Cup Sydney International and temporary Melbourne events held in 2021.[9]
Presently Nine dedicate two linear broadcast channels to the Australian Open, the main channel Channel 9 and secondary channel 9Gem with the tennis moving to 9Go! during the hour long Nine News bulletin between 6pm and 7pm. Furthermore, all matches, on all courts are available to stream for free through Nine's live stream, video on demand and catch-up TV service 9Now with matches also available without commercials and on demand through Nine's subscription sports streaming service Stan Sport.[10]
French Open
editSince 2021, the Nine Network is the Australian broadcast holder with coverage on secondary channel 9Gem. Additional courts are available to stream via Stan Sport, a pay for view streaming service owned by Nine.[11] Previously, subscription television service Foxtel had the rights to the French Open with SBS Australia simulcasting World-feed coverage from 10:30pm AEST.[12]
Wimbledon
editThe Nine Network broadcast the Wimbledon Championships for over 40 years until losing the rights to rivals Seven Network following the 2010 tournament at the time citing declining ratings.[13] While Seven had the Wimbledon rights, there was also an agreement with subscription television service Foxtel who had rights to televise select matches until the quarterfinals with Seven getting first pick at two daily matches they would be able to televise exclusively.[14] In late 2020 Nine regained exclusive rights to the Championships signing a three-year contract to broadcast the championships until 2023. In addition to what was televised via their terrestrial free-to-air channel (either Channel 9 or secondary channel 9Gem), all matches are able to be streamed via Stan Sport, a pay for view streaming service owned by Nine.[15]
US Open
editThe Nine Network is the current broadcast holder of the US Open having gained the rights to the event from 2022 making the Nine Network the home of Australian tennis with all four Grand Slams and Australian Open lead in events as well as all Australian rubbers of the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup.[16] Matches are televised on 9Gem with additional courts able to be stream via Stan Sport, a pay for view streaming service owned by Nine. Prior to Nine, subscription channel ESPN Australia broadcast the US Open simulcasting coverage from their American counterparts with localised coverage occurring for matches involving Australian players. Additionally, between 2019 and 2021 SBS Australia simulcast coverage of the Quarterfinals onwards using the World Feed.[17]
Davis Cup
editAustralian ties are broadcast on the Nine Network with other ties on subscription service BeIN Sports Australia.
Billie Jean King Cup
editAustralian ties are broadcast on the Nine Network with other ties on subscription service BeIN Sports Australia.
ATP Tour Events
editSince 2021 all ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and ATP 500 tournaments as well as ATP 250 tournaments with the exception of the Brisbane and Adelaide Internationals, are broadcast on BeIN Sports a subscription service available through Amazon Prime Video and through BeIN Sports directly. Prior to 2021, ATP Masters 1000 and 500 tournaments were televised on ESPN Australia with non-Australian ATP 250 tournaments on Fox Sports Australia.
WTA Tour Events
editAll Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour events, with the exception of the Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart Internationals are televised on BeIN Sports a subscription service available through Amazon Prime Video and through BeIN Sports directly. In 2021, BeIN Sports signed a deal with the WTA giving them broadcast rights until 2026.[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "A History of Australian Tennis". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ Tristan Foenander. "History of the Australian Open – the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific". Australian Open. Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
- ^ "History of Tennis". Archived from the original on 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
- ^ "Australian Pro Tour | Pro Tournaments | Tournaments". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ ATP Media (25 December 2023). Media Guide 2024. ATP.
- ^ WTA Media (2023). Media Guide 2024. WTA Media.
- ^ Duke, Jennifer (2018-06-24). "Nine secures rights to the 2019 Australian Open tennis from Seven". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Tennis Australia signs historic Nine Network rights extension | AO". ausopen.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Duke, Jennifer (2018-03-28). "Nine nabs tennis broadcasting rights from Seven". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "How to watch Australian Open 2024 live and free". wwos.nine.com.au. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Channel Nine is the new and exclusive broadcaster of Roland-Garros in Australia - Roland-Garros - The official site". www.rolandgarros.com. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ Mediaweek (2019-05-08). "Roland Garros 2019 to be shown live on SBS". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ "Channel Nine to bet its bank on footy". PerthNow. 2010-07-16. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Mediaweek (2015-07-24). "Fox Sports' unprecedented Wimbledon coverage". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Stan Sport pounces on Wimbledon, Roland Garros". wwos.nine.com.au. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "Nine grabs US Open". Nine for Brands. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ Mediaweek (2019-09-03). "TV Guide: How to watch US Open live on SBS". Mediaweek. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
- ^ "WTA Tour buoyed by beIN extension in Australia, France and Turkey". SportBusiness. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2024-02-15.