The 2013 Australian Open

The 2013 Australian Open is a tennis tournament that will take place in Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia from January 14 to January 27, 2013. It will be the 101st edition of the Australian Open, and the first Grand Slam event of the year. The tournament will consist of events for professional players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles play. Junior and wheelchair players will compete in singles and doubles tournaments.

The 2013 Australian Open will offer record AUD $30 million prize money.
The $4 million prize money boost is the biggest increase in the history of the event and was one of a raft of initiatives announced for Australian Open 2013 including:
•    Retired tennis superstar Andre Agassi to play in a special feature match in the Men’s Legends Event
•    Hawk-Eye to be introduced on Show Courts 2 and 3
•    New practice and recovery facilities for players, including eight new clay courts in the new National Tennis Centre
•    Expanded Australian Open Trophy Tour throughout Australia, China and Japan
•    The inaugural Asia-Pacific Australian Open Wildcard Play-off to be held in China
•    The new Edwin Flack footbridge connecting the MCG with Melbourne Park and AAMI Park
•    An expanded Women’s Legends event, including former AO champs Amelie Mauresmo and Lindsay Davenport along with Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova
•    A special Legends Lunch on the final Saturday to honour six-time Australian Open winner Roy Emerson.

Spanish superstar and Australian Open 2012 finalist Rafael Nadal will have overcome a leg injury in time to prepare for a major assault on the event in 2013. We expect Rafael Nadal to be one of many great stories in January, including a formidable title defense from the brilliant reigning men’s champion, Novak Djokovic, and some major challenges from the great Roger Federer, US Open 2012 champion Andy Murray and any one of a group of David Ferrer, Juan Martin Del Potro, Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

On the women side we will see defending champion Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Sam Stosur and Petra Kvitova. Also there are some great emerging talents in the women’s game too. It promises to be an incredible tournament.