The Australian Open is a major tennis tournament held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne, Australia. First held in 1905, the tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year – the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. It features men's and women's singles; men's, women's, and mixed doubles and junior's championships; as well as wheelchair, legends and exhibition events. Since 1988 the tournament has been played on hard courts at Melbourne Park.
The Australian Open typically has very high attendance, second only to the US Open. It was also the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat with its two primary courts, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena, equipped with retractable roofs.
Read more about Australian Open: History, Prize Money and Trophies, Ranking Points, Champions, Records
Famous quotes containing the words australian and/or open:
“Each Australian is a Ulysses.”
—Christina Stead (1902–1983)
“She saw
her five young children
writhe and die;
in that hour
she began to watch you,
she whose eyes are open forever.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)