The Australian Open has grown to be one of the most significant sporting events. The Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held annually. The Australian Open in 2023 had the highest attendance at the Grand Slam event, with more than 902,000 people attending the event. With an increase in attendance and viewership popularity of the event, the prize money for the winners has also increased over time.
The Australian Open starts on January 14th, and the finals will be played on January 28th. The start times for these matches are at 8:30 am in Melbourne time.
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How to watch the Australian Open?
The Australian Open is in full swing! As of today, the tournament is on its 11th day. With so many exciting matchups and games happening, you want to experience the excitement of the event.
What channel can you watch the Australian Open on? You can catch the Australian Open coverage, which will air free on Channel 9 and will also be streamed for free in Australia on 9Now. If you, however, are not in Australia, you can catch the coverage on ESPN or ESPN+.
Australian Open Prize Money
The Australian Open this year features a record-high prize pool of AUD $86,500,000, which is a 13% increase compared to last year. This event has now become the second highest-paying professional tournament worldwide, with the US Open being the first.
At the Australian Open, both men and women will receive equal prize money. The singles champions will take home $3,150,000, and the runners-up will earn $1,725,000. This is a fantastic prize pool given the statistic that tennis players aren’t even in the top ten most paid athletes.
This tournament in particular has seen a steady increase in prize money over the past two decades, with annual increments even during the pandemic despite restricted ticket sales.
As mentioned before, the Australian Open prize money has increased an outstanding 13% for players since last year. Below is the table showing a data breakdown of the prize money since 2014 for both men and women in Australian Dollars.
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| Winner | $3,150,000 | $2,975,000 | $2,850,000 | $2,750,000 | $4,120,000 | $4,100,000 | $4,000,000 | $3,700,000 | $3,400,000 | $3,100,000 | $2,650,000 |
| Runner-Up | $1,725,000 | $1,625,000 | $1,575,000 | $1,500,000 | $2,065,000 | $2,050,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,900,000 | $1,700,000 | $1,550,000 | $1,325,000 |
| Semifinal | $990,000 | $925,000 | $895,000 | $850,000 | $1,040,000 | $920,000 | $880,000 | $900,000 | $750,000 | $650,000 | $540,000 |
| Quarterfinal | $600,000 | $555,250 | $538,500 | $525,000 | $525,000 | $460,000 | $440,000 | $440,000 | $375,000 | $340,000 | $270,000 |
Should I Attend the Australian Open?
As fun as it is to watch on the big screen, a lot of people enjoy experiencing the event in person much more. Seeing the best of the best athletes go head to head for the chance at glory is such an exciting spectacle to witness in person.
If you do intend on going, there is no specific dress code you will need to follow, but there are some rules you will need to follow. The clothing items you cannot wear are thongs, singlets, ripped jeans, ripped clothing, or sports shorts. Other than the specific items mentioned, feel free to wear what makes you comfortable!
While you’re at the event, consider purchasing some merchandise to commemorate your experience.
 If, however, you are not able to attend the event live, you are always welcome to purchase merchandise online. The Australian Open merchandise offers a bunch of different items ranging from clothes to sports equipment and, of course, Australian Open tennis balls! Who know’s they might go for as much as baggy greens go for in cricket.
What Do the Standings Look Like?
Since we are already on the 11th day of the tournament, it means we have already progressed to the semifinal. If you have missed out, I can tell you that the Australian Open leaderboard is shaping up to be what most experts have predicted.
For Men’s singles, the current raining champ. Novak Djokovic has made it through to the semifinals, with his opponent being Jannik Sinner, reigning from Italy.
For Women’s singles, the current semifinal matchup is between the Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and China’s Qinwen Zheng.
These matchups are shaping to be one of the most exciting matchups we had in years, and almost anyone can really take the championship home.
You can find more of the schedule on the official Australian Open website.
Bottom line
The Australian Open is an event you would want to watch with your very own eyes if you are a tennis fan or just an enjoyer of sports!
With more on the line and the players being the best in the world, the athleticism and performance are something truly remarkable to witness.