Competition
Australian Open
Formerly Australasian Championships, Australian Championships · Also known as AO
Importance 5 out of 5Importance rating
The Australian Open is the first of tennis's four Grand Slam tournaments each season, played on hard courts at Melbourne Park every January. It is run by Tennis Australia and was first held in 1905.
Key facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sport | Tennis | |
| Run by | Tennis Australia | |
| Organiser | Tennis Australia | Australian Open: fast facts, Fast facts: Tennis Australia conducts tournaments including the Australian Open |
| First held | 1905, as the Australasian Championships | Australian Open: fast facts, Fast facts |
| Format | Knockout singles draws of up to 128 players and doubles draws of up to 64; men's singles matches are best of five sets, other matches best of three | 2026 Official Grand Slam Rule Book, Tournament Regulations, Article I C (Size of draws) and L (Number of sets) |
| How often | Annually, in January | Australian Open: match schedule, Site header: AO 2027, 11–31 January 2027 |
| Venue | Melbourne Park, Melbourne (since 1988) | Australian Open: fast facts, Fast facts: moved to Flinders Park (now Melbourne Park) in 1988 |
| Website | ausopen.com |