More fans streamed through the gates at Australian Open 2024 than ever before. While the world’s best players put on a spectacular show on-court, an incredible range of food, entertainment, shopping, and tennis activations on offer ensured fun for fans of all ages.
Aryna Sabalenka defended her Australian Open women’s singles crown, claiming back-to-back titles, while Jannik Sinner won his maiden Grand Slam men’s singles title.
Australian Open 2024 broke both two-week and three-week attendance records. 1,020,763 fans came through the gates during the main draw, compared with the previous record of 839,192 set in 2023. An additional 89,894 fans attended during AO Opening Week, bringing the three-week total to 1,110,657 people.
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Here is Australian Open 2024 by the numbers…
World-class performances
AO 2024 champions
- [2] Aryna Sabalenka defeated [12] Qinwen Zheng (CHN) 6-3 6-2 to claim back-to-back Australian Open women’s singles title. 14-time Grand Slam champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley presented Sabalenka with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
- [4] Jannik Sinner (ITA) defeated [3] Daniil Medvedev 3-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-3 to win his maiden Grand Slam singles title. Four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier presented Sinner with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. Sinner is the first Italian to win an Australian Open singles title.
- The second-seeded duo of Australia’s Matt Ebden and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna captured their maiden Australian Open men’s doubles title, defeating Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(0) 7-5.
- [2] Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) and Elise Mertens (BEL) won the women’s doubles 6-1 7-5 over [11] Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) and Jelena Ostapenko (LAT). The win marked Su-Wei’s seventh Grand Slam women’s doubles title.
- In the first championship match between two top-four seeded teams at Melbourne Park in 23 years, No.3 seeds Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) and Jan Zielinski (POL) emerged triumphant, beating [2] Desirae Krawczyk (USA) and Neal Skupski (GBR) 6-7(5) 6-4 [11-9].
- [1] Diede de Groot (NED) defeated long-time rival [2] Yui Kamiji (JPN) 7-5 6-4 to win the women’s wheelchair singles title, her fourth straight Australian Open singles title and 13th consecutive Grand Slam singles title.
- No.2 seeded Japanese teenager Tokito Oda defeated world No.1 Alfie Hewett (GBR) 6-2 6-4 to win the Australian Open men’s wheelchair singles trophy.
- [2] Sam Schroder (NED) defeated Guy Sasson (ISR) 6-3 6-3 to claim his third back-to-back Australian Open quad wheelchair singles titles.
- [2] Diede de Groot (NED) and Jiske Griffioen (NED), [1] Alfie Hewett (GBR) and Gordon Reid (GBR), Andy Lapthorne (GBR) and David Wagner (USA) won their respective wheelchair doubles titles in the women’s, men’s and quad divisions.
- 16-year-old [1] Renata Jamrichova (SVK) defeated 15-year-old Australian [6] Emerson Jones 6-4 6-1 to win the Australian Open Junior Championship girls’ singles title.
- 17-year-old Rei Sakamoto (JPN) defeated Jan Kumstat (CZE) 3-6 7-6(2) 7-5 to claim the Australian Open Junior Championship boys’ singles title. Sakamoto is the first Japanese player to win an AO Junior singles title.
- [3] Tyra Caterina Grant (USA) and Iva Jovic (USA), and Maxwell Exsted (USA) and Cooper Woestendick (USA) won the junior girls’ and boys’ doubles titles respectively.
AO 2024 competitors
- A total of 796 players from 68 nations competed at the Australian Open across all 18 draws, including qualifying, singles, doubles, junior and wheelchair events.
- Australia had the highest representation with 77 players, followed by the USA with 73 players, and France with 59.
Aussies at AO 2024
- 77 Australian players competed at Australian Open 2024 across all draws.
- 15 Australians contested the men’s singles competition, the highest representation since 1998.
- Three Australians – Storm Hunter, Dane Sweeny and Omar Jasika – completed successful qualifying campaigns, Australia’s best result since 1992.
- Alex de Minaur was the first top-10 seeded Australian in 18 years in the men’s singles competition and matched his career-best result with a fourth-round appearance. Storm Hunter became the first Aussie qualifier to progress to the third round in the women’s singles competition in 39 years.
- Matt Ebden won the Australian Open men’s doubles title (alongside India’s Rohan Bopanna) for the first time in 15 appearances, and the first time in 30 years the title has been won by an Australian in three consecutive years.
- Emerson Jones became the first Aussie in 16 years to progress to the girls’ singles final.
- Four Australians – Jaimee Fourlis, Andrew Harris, Olivia Gadecki and Marc Polmans – progressed to the mixed doubles semifinals.
AO Legends tournament
- The Australian Open Legends event featured Li Na (CHN), Thomas Johansson (SWE), Iva Majoli (CRO), Tommy Haas (GER), Alicia Molik (AUS), Casey Dellacqua (AUS), Marcos Baghdatis (CYP), Daniela Hantuchova (SVK), Andrea Petkovic (GER), Mark Philippoussis (AUS), Radek Stepanek (CZE) and Robert Lindstedt (SWE).
- Tommy Haas and Radek Stepanek took out the men’s title, while Daniela Hantuchova and Li Na teamed up to claim the women’s title.
Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific
- 173 players from 14 different Asia-Pacific nations competed in AO 2024
- 34 players from the region made the Last Eight including:
o AO 2024 finalist Zheng Qinwen (CHN) in women’s singles
o Men’s doubles champions Matt Ebden (AUS) and Rohan Bopanna (IND)
o Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) champion in both women’s and mixed doubles
o Tokito Oda (JPN) men’s wheelchair singles champion
o Yui Kamiji (JPN) women’s wheelchair singles and doubles finalist
o Japan’s Takuya Miki and Tokito Oda men’s wheelchair doubles finalists. - Wildcard recipient Mai Hontama (JPN) lost to eventual quarterfinalist [9] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) in the first round. Shang Juncheng (CHN) reached the third round before retiring against world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz.
- The Asia-Pacific Elite 14 and-under Trophy saw 16 players from 13 countries compete in 40 matches over three days.
- Aussie Emilie Chen won the girls’ singles event at the AO Asia-Pacific Elite 14/u Trophy.
Player statistics (men’s statistics given prior to men’s final)
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Aces
• 89 – Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
• 54 – Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
First serve percentage in
• 76% – Christopher Eubanks (USA)
• 83% – Daria Snigur (UKR)
Fastest serve
• 235 km/h – Zhizhen Zhang (CHN)
• 201 km/h – Coco Gauff (USA)
First serve percentage won
• 83% – Hubert Hurkacz (POL)
• 78% – Aryna Sabalenka
Double faults
• 46 – Daniil Medvedev
• 41 – Qinwen Zheng (CHN)
Second serve percentage won
• 68% – Dominik Koepfer (GER)
• 65% – Yulia Putintseva
A three-week extravaganza of tennis, entertainment and family fun …
Attendance
- The Australian Open started on a Sunday for the first time, extending the main draw to 15 days.
- Australian Open 2024 smashed the two-week attendance record with 1,020,763 fans through the gates over 15 days, compared with the previous record of 839,192 over 14 days set in 2023.
- Across the three weeks from Monday 8 to Sunday 28 January, 1,110,657 people flocked to Melbourne Park.
- Records were broken for 16 individual sessions and nine day/night totals.
- Middle Saturday was the highest attended day/night of Australian Open 2024 with 93,723 fans.
- 321,069 people attended events held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Perth and Sydney in the lead-in to Australian Open 2024.
- More than 1.43 million people attended events across the entire Australian Summer of Tennis.
AO Opening Week presented by Herald Sun
- 89,894 fans came through the gates during AO Opening Week presented by Herald Sun to enjoy qualifying,
open practice in Rod Laver Arena, and three star-studded charity matches which raised money for a range of
children’s causes through the Australian Tennis Foundation. - 6000 Hot Shots Tennis racquets given out to kids throughout the week.
- Kids Tennis Day presented by Emirates attracted more than 17,000 kids and families.
Delivering economic benefits to Victoria - NAB transaction data* estimates $482 million was injected into the Melbourne’s accommodation, hospitality,
and tourism sectors throughout AO 2024. - Consumer spending across the city rose 16 per cent year-on-year during the tournament with more than $333
million spent at variety of Melbourne hostelries - The data revealed Melbourne’s bars, restaurants and fast-food outlets were the biggest winners during the
tournament, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the retail spend.
*Estimates taken from spend at NAB merchant terminals in metro Melbourne between 14-28 January 2024.
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Australian Tennis Legends, Sporting Figures and Celebrities
- Australian tennis legends including Rod Laver AC MBE, Evonne Goolagong Cawley AC MBE, Margaret
Court AC MBE, Neale Fraser AO MBE, Frank Sedgman AO, Judy Dalton AM, Wendy Turnbull MBE, Ken
Rosewall AM MBE, Bill and Lesley Bowrey, Pat Cash, Mark Woodforde and David Hall OAM all attended
the AO. - American tennis legends Billie Jean King and Andre Agassi also returned to the Australian Open in 2024.
- Adam Hills, Aisha Dee, Alex Fitzalan, Alicia Loxley, Ana de Armas, Angourie Rice, Ann Peacock, Ant Middleton, Anthony Callea, Bec Judd, Becky Hill, Bianca Chatfield, Brenton Thwaites, Brooke Warne, Bruna Papandrea, Carrie Bickmore, Catriona Bisset, Celia Pacquola, Christian Petracca, Darcy Moore, David Shrigley, Deborra-Lee Furness, Doyle Bramhall, Eddie McGuire, Elle Macpherson, Eric Bana, Francesca Packer, Harry Garside, Ian Thorpe, Jacinta Stapleton, Jackie Henderson, Jackie O, Jackson Warne, Jacqui Felgate, James Tomkins, Jessica Gomes, Jo Hall, Joel Creasey, Joel Edgerton, Jon Stevens, Jono Castano, Kate Ceberano, Lana Wilkinson, Lauren Phillips, Lee Halley, Livinia Nixon, Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Louis Tomlinson, Lyn-Al Young, Mac Horton, Maddison Brown, Marcia Hines, Maria Thattil, Mark Webber, Marty Fox, Mason Cox, Matthew Dellavedova, Matthew Pavlich, Michael Rowland, Michala Banas, Michelle Payne, Moana Hope, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Nick and Rozalia Russian, Nicole Warne, Noah Kahan, Olivia DeJonge, Olympia Valance, Peter Bol, Peter Costello, Rachel Griffiths, Kate Walsh, Redfoo, Rohan Browning, Rosie Batty, Sarah Todd, Sharon Johal, Shaynna Blaze, Simon Baker, Sophie Cachia, Sylvia Jeffreys, Tayla Harris, Tim Campbell, Tina Arena, Tom Steinfort, Tony Armstrong, Tony Jones, Victoria Lee, and Xavier Sammuel were among the famous faces in the crowd.
In-stadium production
- The AO Sonic Light and Sound show staged on Rod Laver Arena prior to every night session featured more
than 240 moving lights installed around the arena and 360-degree video elements across the digital walls. The
soundtrack was the AO Sonic soundscape. - In-stadium production was showcased on 5286 LED Panels across the precinct, totalling 1949 square metres and 127,634,624 pixels.
- The LEDs featured more than 1200 bespoke digital wall content pieces.
AO Drone Light Show
- On opening night, Melbourne Park was illuminated by the return of the AO Drone Light Show.
- 500 choreographed drones showcased the Australian Open theme of ‘Hits Different’ in a fun mix of retro
depictions of the sport, as well as futuristic 3D designs and the iconic AO trophies in a 10 minute show above
the precinct.
Music and entertainment
- More than 19,000 people attended Finals Festival at John Cain Arena which featured live performances from more than 16 artists including Peach PRC, Yaeji, Tash Sultana, DMAs, Ruel, The Jungle Giants, Groove Armada and Rudimental.
- Australian Indigenous singer Mitch Tambo performed the Aussie hit “Great Southern Land’ in Indigenous language, along with singer Reigan and the Melbourne Gospel Choir for Opening Night at Rod Laver Arena.
- Bangarra Dance Theatre brought their Kapi Water duet from Yuldea to Rod Laver Arena as part of the celebrations on First Nations Day.
- Lead Tenor from Opera Australia, Diego Torre, performed ‘E lucevan le stelle’ from the 1900 Opera Tosca.
- 28 kids from CentreStage Performing Arts School took to centre court as the AO’s Court Services team with a surprise performance.
- Emmanuel Kelly performed a world premiere of his new single ‘My Sky’ to celebrate All Abilities Day.
- Casey Donovan celebrated the 50th anniversary of Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s first Australian Open singles title before the women’s semifinals, performing ‘The Best’.
- John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew performed their version of ‘Waltzing Matilda’, while Jael Wena sang the National Anthem on Friday 26 January, Australia Day.
- Diamante Duo performed ‘The Prayer’ before the women’s final at Rod Laver Arena while Sheridan Adam, star of Wicked, sang the national anthem.
- Prior to the men’s final Patrice Tipoki, star of Moulin Rouge! The Musical lit up RLA with his performance of ‘Firework’ and Jay Laga’aia sang the national anthem.
- There was 710 hours of roaming music and entertainment across the AO precinct.
- 16 performances from First Nations artists across the tournament.
- 28 dancers on the MCA steps performing a traditional dance piece for the opening of First Nations Day
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