The first major tennis tournament of the year, the Australian Open, will be held at Melbourne Park from 14-28 January 2024 and will boast a record prize purse, almost double that of 10 years ago. A total of 86.5 million Australian dollars (53.46 million euros) will be distributed.

Those lifting the trophy in Melbourne, Australia, on the evening of 28 January will each take home 3,150,000 Australian dollars (1,950,000 euros), while players eliminated in earlier rounds, including qualifiers, will receive amounts in line with the increase in prize money compared to previous editions.

Those eliminated in the first round will receive 120,000 Australian dollars (74,000 euros), a 13% increase, while second-round players will receive the same increase, bringing the total to 180,000 Australian dollars (111,000 euros). Even the lowest paid players, those eliminated in the first round, will receive 31,250 Australian dollars (19,300 euros) each.

A total of 10 million Australian dollars (6.18 million euros) has been earmarked for the 2024 event, which will be headlined by Serbia's Novak Djokovic as he looks to add to his record of 10 titles on Australian soil.

The current world number one, and for many the best ever, will arrive in Oceania as the man with the most Grand Slam titles on the planet (24), ten of which have come in the land of deserts, beaches and kangaroos. He leads Rafa Nadal by two and the retired Roger Federer by four.

As well as trying to maintain his status as the best in history, 'Nole' will be looking to take advantage of the Spaniard's break following hip surgery and the uncertainty surrounding his return to the circuit to remove any doubt as to who is the master of world tennis.

Djokovic has won four of the last five Australian Opens, with the only exception being 2022 when he was banned from the Oceanic country for refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine. His last Australian Open match was a straight-sets victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the 2023 final, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), and this year he will attempt to do what no one has done before: win 25 Grand Slam titles. 

It won't be easy, of course. We'll have to see how Nadal returns to the court and if the group of young under-22 players led by Alcaraz (2nd), Sinner (4th), or Rune (8th) can take over the tournament and the ATP year in 2024.