The year 2020 has been peppered with a plethora of surprises, life as we know it came to a grinding halt as the Coronavirus pandemic swept the globe leaving a trail of destruction behind in its path. Not only have the people been affected by this horrible pandemic but sport was forced to take an unscheduled hiatus.
Tennis authorities were forced to cancel Wimbledon, leaving millions disappointed with a sour taste left in their mouths. The other three Grand Slams, the Australian Open (which was held successfully pre-COVID at the start of the 2020), the US Open and the French Open went ahead with a myriad of restrictions.
With the worst of it behind us, the Australian Open is fast approaching and the faithful tennis acolytes are gearing up to watch some top-class tennis to start the year off with a bang. Let’s take a look at the tennis calendar’s first monumental Grand Slam and how it might be unfolding slightly differently this year.
History of the Tournament
Formerly known as the Australian Championships, the history of the Australian Open dates back to 1905, when the first male-contested tournament went ahead at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in Melbourne.
The female’s tournament duly followed in 1922 and both competitions were played on grass until 1988. The Australian Open moved around a variety of cities including Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Christchurch and Hastings until it found Melbourne as its home after the years of support the city shoed the event.
Australian Open Players
A flurry of the biggest names in tennis are preparing to descend into Melbourne with the hope of securing one of the elusive titles in tennis to add to their résumé. Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Ashleigh Barty, Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka, Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and many more are preparing to do battle on the courts.
Andy Murray snatched a wild card for the upcoming Australian Slam and will be competing at the Melbourne Park for the 14th time. The 33-year-old is set to compete at the season’s first Grand Slam for the first time since 2019, after the Scot fell victim to the hands of Roberto Bautista in a thrilling five-setter first round. A COVID positive test, however, could put his participation in jeopardy.
Dark Horses of the Tournament
With an array of tennis talent breaking through the ranks, it is always worth noting that the underdogs all have a fighting chance. Tennis fixed odds betting have a myriad of mouth-watering prices to ramp up the excitement over the two-week tennis extravaganza.
Stefano Tsitsipas, another prodigy that seems destined for greatness and will be guns blazing at this year’s tournament. The Greek youngster has showcased what he is capable of and expects to have a fantastic 2021.
Serena William might be up with there with the favourites but the mother of one is knocking at the door of her 40s. The 39-year-old will have a mountain to climb if she wants to prevail and make it 8 in Melbourne.
Another dark horse to watch at this year’s Open is the likes of Nick Kyrgios. The Australian is naturally gifted with a tennis racquet and had pundits tipping the young player into emerge into the pantheon of the greats, but the Aussie’s temper seems to be his Achilles heel restricting him showing the public his raw talent.
When is the Grand Slam?
After an erratic and unpredictable 2020, the governing board of tennis has set in place some insurance policies to avoid major events from getting the chop. The Australian Open is set to go ahead on 8 February this year after being pushed back three weeks because of the pandemic.
The first Grand Slam of the season was scheduled to take place in Melbourne in 18-31 January but was slashed to buy more time to sure up the event’s safety. All participating players arrived in Melbourne on the 15 January for a 14-day quarantine period under local covid rules.
How Much Prize Money is up For Grabs?
The prize money in Melbourne seems to be eclipsing itself year-on-year, with the tournament becoming more and more lucrative. The 2020 Australian Open prize money hit $71 million, an increase of 13.6 percent on the record purse in 2019. The 2021 tournament looks to be hitting new heights, offering a $80 million-dollar war-chest to the players.
How Many Fans Will Be Allowed at The Australian Open in 2021?
Tournament organisers are optimistic on operating at between 50 and 75 percent of normal capacity over the two-week Slam.