Australian Open 2024 schedule: When does play start UK time? When is the draw? When do the sessions start?
ByTNT Sports
Updated 11/01/2024 at 15:06 GMT
What is the 2024 Australian Open schedule? When does play start in UK time? When is the Australian Open draw? Who is playing the Grand Slam in Melbourne? Novak Djokovic will be the defending men's champion while Aryna Sabalenka won the women's title in 2023. Rafael Nadal looks set to make his return to the tournament along with another two-time winner, Naomi Osaka.
Rybakina says win over Sabalenka in Brisbane ‘gives confidence’ going into Australian Open
Video credit: SNTV
The 2024 Australian Open will soon be under way in Melbourne.
For the first time the Grand Slam will be run over 15 days instead of 14, a move that is hoped will help cut down early morning finishes.
Novak Djokovic is the defending men’s champion and will be aiming for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.
Aryna Sabalenka will be looking to defend the women’s singles title she won last year by beating Elena Rybakina in the final.
With the Grand Slam fast approaching, we run through everything you need to know about the schedule, when play starts each day in UK time, when the finals are, and how to watch on Eurosport and discovery+.
When is the 2024 Australian Open?
An extra day has been added at the start of the Australian Open, meaning this year it runs for 15 days from January 14 to 28.
What is the 2024 Australian Open schedule?
Qualifying gets started on Monday, January 8 and finishes on Thursday, January 11.
The main draw then kicks off on Sunday, January 14 and concludes with the men’s final on Sunday, January 28.
Play starts at midnight UK time each day, with the night sessions getting under way at 8am UK time.
Australian Open 2024 schedule
- Monday, January 8 – Thursday, January 11: Qualifying
- Sunday, January 14: Men’s and women’s first round singles
- Monday, January 15: Men’s and women’s first round singles
- Tuesday, January 16: Men’s and women’s first round singles
- Wednesday, January 17: Men’s and women’s second round singles
- Thursday, January 18: Men’s and women’s second round singles
- Friday, January 19: Men’s and women’s third round singles
- Saturday, January 20: Men’s and women’s third round singles
- Sunday, January 21: Men’s and women’s fourth round singles
- Monday, January 22: Men’s and women’s fourth round singles
- Tuesday, January 23: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
- Wednesday, January 24: Men’s and women’s singles quarter-finals
- Thursday, January 25: Women’s singles semi-finals
- Friday, January 26: Men’s singles semi-finals
- Saturday, January 27: Women’s singles final, men’s doubles final
- Sunday, January 28: Men’s singles final, women’s doubles final
How to watch and stream the Australian Open
You can watch every day of the 2024 Australian Open live on Eurosport, while you can enjoy all the action on discovery+, the Eurosport app and eurosport.com.
When is the 2024 Australian Open draw?
The draw for the Australian Open was made on Thursday, January 11 and it pitted Emma Raducanu against Shelby Rogers, whom she defeated en route to her 2021 US Open triumph.
How will moving to 15 days impact Australian Open?
The extra day at this year's Australian Open will see the first round played over three days instead of two.
There will now be a minimum each day of two matches, down from three, on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena.
Australian Open organisers say this is to “limit the potential of late finishes” as when the day sessions run late then the night sessions start later, and hence have the potential to finish later.
Who’s playing at the 2024 Australian Open?
The 2024 Australian Open will feature several comeback stories, although Rafael Nadal was forced to withdraw after picking up a small injury during his third-round loss to Jordan Thompson at the Brisbane International.
It could mean we've already seen the last of Nadal in Melbourne as he has said this might be his final season on tour.
Two-time winner Naomi Osaka will be back as she returns to the tour after giving birth.
The 26-year-old played in Brisbane and begins her Australian Open against 16th seed Caroline Garcia.
Former champion Caroline Wozniacki has been drawn against 20th seed Magda Linette as she continues her comeback, while Angelique Kerber has also given birth and will be back in Australia.
The leading names to look out for in the men’s draw will likely be Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev.
Sabalenka, Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula look set to be the top contenders in the women’s draw.
- - -
Stream top tennis action, including the 2024 Australian Open, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at Eurosport.com.
Share this article
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement