Volume 39, Number 02
The Australian Open
by Lawrence Nylund
January marks the start of a new year of hopes, resolutions ... and Grand Slam tennis matches. From Jan. 14–27, the Australian Open—the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year—will be in Melbourne, pitting the best-ranked players in the world in a series of singles, doubles, mixed, masters, juniors and wheelchair matches.
Started in 1905 as the Australasian Championships, the competition was held in various cities in Australia and New Zealand throughout the early and mid- 20th century. In 1976 the Australian Open moved to Melbourne permanently, as the city had consistently drawn the largest crowds during the championship's run. Since this decision, the Open has been played annually at the Hardcourt Melbourne Park, during the hot Australian summer month of January.
Along with the French Open in Paris, the U.S. Open in New York and Wimbledon, the Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments to be held each year. The Grand Slam competitions are widely regarded as the most important tennis tournaments in the world, with their long traditions, extensive international press coverage and six-digit monetary prizes.
The Australian Open in particular draws many of the world's top-ranked tennis singles and doubles players—as well as over 500,000 spectators—year after year. The women's singles champion receives the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, while the men's champion goes home with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. Prize money awarded at the event totals AU$20,000,000.
The 2008 Australian Open promises to be exciting, with the strongest field in the history of the event: all 100 of the world's top men's players will compete, while 99 of the world's 100 top women's players will participate in the event (Russia's Vera Dushevina, seeded as #44, is unable to compete due to a foot injury.)
Among the men to watch out for, three-time champion Roger Federer from Switzerland, who has reigned as the world's top male player for over 200 weeks (at the ripe old age of 26), will be sure to play some great matches as he tries to defend his position at the top. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who won the Open in 2002, and Marat Safin of Russia, who won the Open in 2005 as well as the U.S. Open in 2000 (defeating Pete Sampras) are also expected to give impressive performances.
Belgium's Justine Henin, winner of seven Grand Slam titles (including one Australian Open), is the top ranked woman player in the world, and seeded #1 at this year's Aussie event. American tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport, who has been the year-end number one, four times, are also worth keeping an eye out for.
2007 had its fair share of scandals in the international tennis circuit, as a number of players reported being approached by people looking to “fix” important matches abroad (for gambling profits). As a result, in December authorities in Australia recruited a group of “anti-corruption officials” to keep a close watch over the Open's development, to ensure that such corruption will not taint this year's Melbourne event.
For those looking to catch some of the action in Tokyo, there are a number of Australian bars and pubs in the area worth trying. Quest in Roppongi (tel. 03- 5414-2225) and Clubhouse in Shinjuku (tel. 03-3359-7785) are both friendly sports bars catering to largely Aussie crowds, which show various sports throughout the year. Although neither is scheduled to show the Open, interested fans can call during the event to see if they are planning to show some of the games.
Most Recent Champions of the Australian Open
Men's Singles Champions
2001 Andre Agassi (USA)
2002 Thomas Johansson (Sweden)
2003 Andre Agassi (USA)
2004 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2005 Marat Safin (Russia)
2006 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2007 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
Women's Singles Champions
2001 Jennifer Capriati (USA)
2002 Jennifer Capriati (USA)
2003 Serena Williams (USA)
2004 Justine Henin (Belgium)
2005 Serena Williams (USA)
2006 Amelie Mauresmo (France)
2007 Serena Williams (USA)