Australian Open 2024: Men's draw, schedule, players, prize money breakdown, ranking points & more

Modified Jan 10, 2024 19:45 GMT

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic lead the men's singles field at the 2024 Australian Open.

The world of tennis is bursting with excitement as the 2024 Australian Open is about to begin on January 14.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic headlines the draw as the top seed. He's eyeing a record 11th title in Melbourne, as well as his 25th Major. Rafael Nadal was supposed to participate as well but suffered another injury setback, which nipped his comeback in the bud.

Carlos Alcaraz, the only other player besides Djokovic and Nadal to win a Grand Slam title over the past couple of years, will be gunning for his third Major. Daniil Medvedev, twice a runner-up Down Under, will look to improve his fortunes here as well.

The next fortnight will be packed with non-stop action, so before the start of all the excitement, here are the relevant details regarding the tournament:

What is the Australian Open?

It's one of the sport's most prestigious tournaments, though it wasn't the case since the beginning. Having debuted in 1905 as the Australasian Championships, it was accorded the status of a Grand Slam only in 1924. It also bounced around different locations before finding its permanent home in Melbourne in 1972.

The tournament was also held on grass courts from its inception until 1987, following which it made the transition to hardcourts. Top players in the past often opted to skip the Australian Open due to its location, but it gained more importance with every passing year.

Now, the tournament is also known as the "Happy Slam" and is a favorite among the players as well.

Venue

The tournament will be held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Players

Daniil Medvedev is a two-time finalist at the Australian Open.

The ATP Tour's leading players are all set to compete at in Melbourne. All players within the top 80 have secured direct entry into the draw. Novak Djokovic leads the field as the top seed, followed by Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.

Alcaraz was forced to skip the Australian Open last year due to an injury. His record in Melbourne isn't as impressive when stacked up against his results at other Majors. He'll be eyeing to make it past the third round here for the first time.

Last year's runner-up, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has questions surrounding his form, mainly due to his physical issues. Alexander Zverev was instrumental in Germany's triumph at the United Cup, and he'll be aiming to continue his good run of form here as well.

Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Casper Ruud will be hungry for some Grand Slam glory too. Aside from the young guns, Grigor Dimitrov, now a veteran of the tour, has been in great form too.

The men's singles draw will be revealed on Thursday, January 11.

Schedule

The Australian Open will have a Sunday start this year instead of the traditional Monday kick-off. The first round will now be held over three days from January 14 and will conclude on January 16. The next three rounds will last for two days each after that.

The quarterfinals will be contested on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 23-24, with the semifinals being scheduled for Friday, January 26. The men's singles title round will bring the tournament to a close on Sunday, January 28.

Prize Money and Ranking Points

The total prize money for this year's Australian Open is AUD $86,500,000, of which the singles champion will pocket $3,150,000. The winner will also accumulate 2000 ranking points.

Here's a breakdown of the ranking points and prize money:

Round	Ranking Points (Singles)	Ranking Points (Doubles)	Prize Money (Singles)	Prize Money (Doubles, per team)
Champion	2000	2000	$3,150,000	$730,000
Runner-up	1300	1200	$1,725,000	$400,000
Semifinalist	800	720	$990,000	$227,500
Quarterfinalist	400	360	$600,000	$128,000
Round of 16	200	180	$375,000	$75,000
Round of 32	100	90	$255,000	$53,000
Round of 64	50	0	$180,000	$36,000
Round of 128	10	-	$120,000	-