Australian Open Grand Slam Championship 2017 has kicked off in Melbourne today with a good number of spectators gathered to witness the event. The schedule of this event was released a few days ago and many top ranking players will be taking to the courts today, both in the morning and evening matches of round one. The likes of Venus Williams, Andy Murry, Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios and Tomas Berdych will be playing in the morning sessions and Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori will be taking to the courts this evening.
There are 7 participants from India in the Australian Open this year. Yuki Bhambri, Rohan Bopanna, Saketh Myneni, Leander Paes, Purav Raja, Divij Sharan and Sania Mirza. Leander Paes will be playing in the Men’s Doubles whereas Sania Mirza the Women’s Doubles. Leander Paes has played a total of 21 Australian Open matches, his best performance being the winner of Doubles match in 2012. Sania Mirza on the other hand has played a total of 12 Australian Open matches in Women’s Double events, and her best performance was winning the Doubles match in 2016.
Source: Getty Images
With the weather forecast of a top of 31 degree today, it promises to be a hot start to the event but not as scorching as tomorrow when the temperatures are predicted to reach 38 degrees.
A little bit about Australian Open
Generic photo of the Rod Laver Arena which hosts the Australian Open in Melbourne, Source: AAP
Australian Open is one of the four major Tennis Grand Slam tournaments in the world and each year thousands of people from around the nation and world, gather in the sports capital of Australia, Melbourne to witness the event in January. It was first held in 1905 and is chronologically the first Grand Slam event of the year, the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. This grand slam features Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed doubles and Junior’s championship. There are also wheelchair, legends and exhibition events.
This event usually has a high attendance, second only to US and is played in three major arenas, namely Rod laver Arena, Hisense Arena and Margret Court Arena.
The prise money awarded in the Men’s and Women’s tournament is distributed equally. The total prixe money for 2015 tournament was $40,000,000 with Single’s winner taking the sum of $3,100,000, Doubles taking $575,000 and mixed doubles taking $142,500.
the trophy presented to the Women’s singles winner is the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and for Men’s Singles winner is Norman Brookes Challenge Cup.
Last year’s Men’s Finals winner was Novak Djokovic and Women’s Singles Finals winner was won by Angelique Kerber.
