Nadal, Gauff in Day 1 action
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A glance at the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tennis Tournament of 2023
SURFACE
Hard courts
SITE
Melbourne Park
SCHEDULE
The two-week tournament starts Monday morning in Australia (Sunday evening EST). There are both day and night sessions. The women’s singles final is Saturday, Jan. 28; the men’s singles final is Sunday, Jan. 29.
LOOKAHEAD TO MONDAY
The Australian Open will begin at Melbourne Park on Monday morning. Coco Gauff In action at Rod Laver Arena against Katerina siniakova The match in Laver later in the afternoon, featuring 22-time Grand Slam champion Katerina Siniakova, is probably the most interesting. Rafael Nadal Jack Draper is the other left-hander. Nadal has lost six matches since last season, including a 0-2 record so far this year. Nadal is the current champion in Australia. Other past major champions in action on Day 1 include Daniil Medvedev — who was the runner-up in Melbourne to Nadal in 2022 and to Novak Djokovic in 2021 — against Marcos Giron of the U.S.; Iga Swiatek against Jule Niemeier; Emma Raducanu against Tamara Korpatsch; Sofia Kenin against Victoria Azarenka in a matchup between two women who own a combined three Australian Open trophies; along with Stan Wawrinka, Bianca Andreescu, Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko.
MONDAY’S FORECAST
Cloudy. Temperatures reaching 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius).
SEEDINGS
Iga Swiatek is seeded at No. 1 in the women’s bracket, her first time in that spot at the Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals a year ago. Nadal is the No. 1 seed in the men’s draw, moving up a spot because top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament with a leg injury. Novak Djokovic is seeded at No. As he returns to Melbourne, Novak Djokovic is seeded No.
2022 WOMEN’S SINGLES CHAMPION
Ash Barty from Australia
2022 MEN’S SINGLES CHAMPION
Rafael Nadal (Spain)
LAST YEAR
Barty became the first Australian in 44 years to win a singles trophy at the nation’s Grand Slam tournament by beating Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the final. That gave Barty the third major title of her career — after the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021 — and extended her stay at No. 1. in the WTA rankings. She announced her retirement at 25 less than two months later. Nadal won his 21st Grand Slam title via an amazing comeback. He defeated Daniil Medvedev, 2-6, 6-6, 6-7 (5) 6-4, 5-6, 7-5. After dropping the first two sets, it was the first time that an Australian Open finalist had been won by a man in 57 years. Before the tournament began, all eyes were on Djokovic, who flew to Australia despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, then had his visa revoked, was deported and couldn’t participate in a tournament he has won nine times.
WHO IS DISAPPOINTED?
This is the first Grand Slam tournament since Serena Williams and Roger Federer — owners of a combined 43 major singles championships — announced last year they were ending their playing careers. Barty is also retiring. Alcaraz (also injured), Venus Williams (all injured), Marin Cilic (all injured), Ajla Thomasljanovic (all injured), Naomi Osaka (3 months out, she announced that she is pregnant and will take 2023 of her absence) and Simona Hlep (serving a proviso doping ban).
KEY STATISTICS
22 — Grand Slam singles titles for Nadal, a record for men — one more than Djokovic, two more than Federer — and one away from the overall Open era mark held by Williams.
PRIZE MONEY
The 2023 Australian Open’s total prize money is $76.5 Million Australian dollars (about $53 Million). The women’s and men’s singles champions each will be paid $2.975 million Australian dollars (about $2 million), a drop of 37.5% from last year’s checks of 4.4 million Australian dollars (about $3.15 million).
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