The Australia Open is a tennis tournament held annually. For the year 2022, it will be held on 17th to 30th January. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events which are held every year. The Australian Open will be held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. In 2020, the tournament was the highest attended Grand Slam event with more than 8,12,000 people in attending. The Australian Open has grown to become one of the biggest sporting events.
The Prize Money Pool
In 2021, the prize money pool was increased by $7 million. In 2021, the total purse was $61.95 million with the men’s and women’s singles winner taking home $2.13 million. This year the total purse is $80 million.
In 2021, Craig Tiley, the tournament director said that there was more of even distribution. It was to help offset the significant costs incurred by players coming to Australia amid a pandemic.
“We have significantly reduced the winners’ prize money cheques, but players like Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams all agreed with spreading the prize money more evenly, providing the up-and-coming players an opportunity to earn more because it has been a difficult year,” Craig Tiley told The Hindu newspaper in 2021.
Amount Which The Players Receive
Singles:
- The singles champion will receive USD $2,138,125 (AUD $2,750,000) while the runner-up will get USD $1,166,250 (AUD $1,500,000).
- The semi-finalist will get the amount of USD $660,875 (AUD $850,000) as their prize money.
- The cheque which the quarter-finalist would take home is USD $408,188 (AUD $525,000).
- The fourth round players will receive USD $248,800 (AUD $320,000) and the players reaching the third round would receive USD $167,163 (AUD $215,000). While the players reaching the second round would receive USD $116,625 (AUD $150,000) and the first round losers receive the amount of USD $77,750 (AUD $100,000).
A showdown worthy of a Grand Slam final ????
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— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) December 23, 2021
Doubles:
- The doubles champions will receive USD $466,638 (AUD $600,000) with the runners-up earning the amount of USD $264,428 (AUD $340,000).
- The doubles semi-finalists will take home USD $155,546 (AUD $200,000) and the quarter-finalists get USD $85,550 (AUD $110,000).
- Teams who reach the 3rd round will receive USD $50,552 (AUD $65,000); the team in the 2nd round will receive USD $34,998 (AUD $45,000). The 1st round losers will receive USD $23,332 (AUD $30,000).
Mixed Doubles:
- The mixed doubles champions will receive USD $115,275 (AUD $150,000), while the runners-up will earn USD $65,323 (AUD $85,000).
- The mixed doubles semi-finalists will take home USD $34,583 (AUD $45,000) and the quarter-finalists will receive USD $18,444 (AUD $24,000).
- The teams reaching the second round will receive USD $9,222 (AUD $12,000) and the first-round losers will receive USD $4,803 (AUD $6,250).
The prize money which the players receive will be same for both men and women. The money which the singles, doubles and mixed double players will receive will be the same irrespective of their gender.
News on Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka
Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka were the singles winner in the last Australia Open.
Novak Djokovic is still uncertain whether he will take part in the 2022 Australian Open but he will have to soon make a decision. He has repeatedly declined to reveal whether he has been vaccinated against COVID-19. All the players participating at the Australian Open must be vaccinated for January’s Grand Slam tournament chief Craig Tiley confirmed. This confirmation has piled more pressure on Djokovic, who has refused to reveal if he has been jabbed.
Naomi Osaka has recently hinted at making her come back to the tennis court. She had shared some snaps from her first practice session since Flushing Meadows. Osaka’s fans are hoping to see the two-time Australian Open champion at the ‘Happy Slam’ in 2022.
The former World No.1 is aiming to make her return to professional tennis at the Australian Open 2022. Naomi will definitely be one of the topmost contenders to win at the ‘Australian Open’, having it won in 2019 and 2021.
