Australian Open 2023: schedule and where to watch the first Grand Slam of the year

It’s time, tennis fans. The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, kicks off this Monday, January 16, 2023. The tournament will see No. 1 seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal trying to regain the form that took him to the title in 2022.

We will also have the return of Novak Djokovic , champion of the competition, after being barred from the tournament last season. Among the women, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the overwhelming favourite, as the defending champion, Ashleigh Barty , retired shortly after the home win.

The tournament will be without world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz (injured) and newly retired Serena Williams and Roger Federer . But other veterans, like five-time finalist Andy Murray and champion Stan Wawrinka, are confirmed.

Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, who was runner-up in doubles in 2022, returns to the event now as a candidate in singles as well. The double player Luísa Stefani also arrives packed to Melbourne.

Check out a preview of favorites, the tournament schedule and where to watch one of the great events in world tennis.

Let the games begin 🙌 Here's to the AO Moments ahead. @DjokerNole • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/r8n7xWEBf3

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 11, 2023

Men’s singles: without Alcaraz, Nadal is head 1
Alcaraz, the 19-year-old phenom who shot to the top of the rankings after winning the US Open, pulled out with a leg injury.

No. 2 in the world, Nadal becomes the main seed, trying to defend the 2022 title, in which he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final. In 2023, Nadal lost his two United Cup appearances, but remains confident to try to match Serena Williams’ 23 Slams, the Open Era (professional) record.

Djokovic, meanwhile, won his 92nd career title in Adelaide. He hasn’t lost in Australia since 2018, when he fell to Chung Hyeon in the Round of 16.

Other candidates are Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Holger Rune, 19, Alexander Zverev, who returns to the tour after picking up an injury at Roland Garros, and local star Nick Kyrgios are other names to keep an eye on.

Thiago Monteiro is the only Brazilian representative in the singles bracket, making his debut against France’s Constant Lestienne. He also plays doubles with Colombian Daniel Elahí Galan. Rafael Matos follows the successful partnership with the Spaniard David Vega Hernández, and Marcelo Demoliner shares the court with the Italian Andrea Vavassori.

Marcelo Melo was not entered, but he may still win an invitation. Bruno Soares retired after the 2022 US Open.

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Female: Swiatek against all; Bia and Luísa in good position

Is it possible to beat Iga? The 21-year-old Pole has had an inspired 2022 after Barty’s retirement, taking pole position in the rankings and staying there. She came to win 37 straight matches, entitled to Roland Garros and US Open titles, two of eight events that she won in 2022.

However, women’s Slams can always surprise. Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula and Caroline Garcia have a good chance of taking the trophy, as well as Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.

The Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia appears as the 14th seed in the competition, debuting against the Spanish Nuria Parrizas Dias, number 77 in the world. If she wins, Bia will face Anastasia Potapova or the American Sloane Stephens, champion of the 2017 US Open.

Doubles runner-up in 2022, Bia never made it past the second round in singles in Melbourne. Laura Pigossi, Olympic bronze medalist with Stefani in Tokyo 2020, entered the bracket as a lucky-loser (a player who loses in qualifying but enters the bracket due to withdrawals) and faces the American Caty McNally.

McNally is coincidentally Luísa Stefani’s doubles partner. The Brazilian just won the WTA 500 in Adelaide with Taylor Townsend.

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Australian Open 2023 – Schedule

The Australian Open follows Grand Slam pattern, with seven knockout singles rounds over two weeks, with players usually having a day off between matches.