The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year and also the only one played in the Southern Hemisphere. It is held on a hard, acrylic surface (known as Plexicushion Prestige) but until 1987 it was played on grass courts. The home of the Australian Open is the Melbourne Park, a multi-purpose sports complex in Melbourne, Australia.

The biggest court is the Rod Laver Arena (15,000 seats), followed by the Hisense Arena (10,500 seats) and Margaret Court Arena (6,000 seats). Because the event is held during the Australian summer (winter in the Northern Hemisphere) there’s an extreme-heat policy put into play when the temperature reaches higher levels.

The Australian Open was first held in 1905, however no tournament was played in 1986. Andre Agassi and Roger Federer are the most prolific players in the Open era, each with four titles won in the mens competition. In the ladies tournament, the top is led by Serena Williams (five trophies) and Monica Seles (four trophies).

Australian Open Live Streaming

More Live Links (unstable and full of ads):

Channel 1 – Channel 2

Live Action starts every day at 02:00 Central European Time

The 2012 Edition: All top ATP players are present at the start of the 2012 edition of the Australian Open. The only notable absence is Robin Soderling, who reached the fourth round in 2011. The pressure is on Novak Djokovic, who must defend his title in order to maintain a safe distance between him and the #2 spot in the ATP rankings. This year will be tough for the Serbian player (he needs to defend three Grand Slam titles and many of the Masters). Both Nadal and Federer were having problems at the Doha tournament, at the start of the year, and nobody really knows if they overcame those problems. This could be an advantage for Novak. However, Andy Murray is in a good form after winning in Brisbane and he could pose a threat to the Serbian.

Australian Open Live Scores and Schedules

Australian Open Live Scores
Australian Open Schedule of Play
Australian Open Draws – MEN – WOMEN