The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year held in Melbourne Park, Australia since 1988.
The venue is known for its fast-paced hard courts and extreme heat, it features elite singles, doubles, and wheelchair events.
Out of the four Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian Open is regularly breaking attendance records with over 1 million spectators in recent years. It stands as the most attended tennis event in the world.
Date | January 12 - February 1, 2026 |
Venue | Melbourne Park, Australia |
Who won the 2026 Australian Open?
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic at the 2026 Australian Open. Alcaraz became the youngest man ever to complete the career Grand Slam at 22 years old. Elena Rybakina defeated Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Australian Open and second Grand Slam title.
When is the Australian Open?
The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year, with a late January schedule in place since 1987. From 1982-1985 it was held in December, but moved to January to improve the overall tennis schedule and participation.
The tournament takes place during Australia's peak summer heat. Tennis star Roger Federer, coined the nickname the "Happy Slam," because the timing allows some players to escape winter weather.
Where is the Australian Open Played?
The Australian Open is held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The sports complex venue has 39 cushioned acrylic hard courts, including three main show courts with retractable roofs to combat extreme heat and rain.
What is the prize money and purse for the Australian Open
The Australian Open has the second highest purse, ranking behind the US Open. In 2026, there was a 16% prize pool increase from 2025.
Purse: $75 million
Singles Prize Money: $2.79
Doubles Prize money: $600,000
History of the Australian Open
The Australian Open was first played at the Warehouseman's Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The tournaments official name in 1905 was the Australasian Championships. Since then, there has been two name changes.
Over the years, the tournament has been played in five different cities and in New Zealand:
Melbourne: 62 times
Sydney: 17 times
Adelaide: 14 times
Brisbane: 8 times
Perth: 3 times
New Zealand: Twice
In 1988, Tennis Australia and the Australian Open moved to its permanent home at Melbourne Park.
Historic Records
Novak Djokovic holds the record for most Australian Open men's singles titles with 10 spanning from 2008-2023. Djokovic also holds the record for the longest match against Rafael Nadal in 2012 final lasting 5 hours 53 minutes.
Margaret Court holds the all-time record with 11 titles spanning from 1960-1973. In more recent times, Serena Williams holds the Open Era women's titles with seven.
The youngest Australian Open winner was Martina Hingis at sixteen years old in 1970, Ken Rosewall is the oldest to win at 37 years old in 1972.
