Sunday schedule, who is playing on each court and at what time
MELBOURNE PARK — Novak Djokovic will be part of yet more Australian Open history when his first-round match forms the centrepiece of a first ever Sunday start at the tournament.
Ordinarily, grand slam events are held over two weeks, starting on a Monday and finishing on the second Sunday with the men’s singles final.
However, after the tournament’s increasingly late finishes – including Andy Murray beating Thanasi Kokkinakis at 4.05am – Australian Open organisers say they have “listened to feedback from players and fans” and introduced an extra day of play to avoid a repeat.
“The additional day will achieve this, benefiting scheduling for fans and players alike,” said tournament director Craig Tiley.
“Every year our team works hard to bring fans an event that feels new and exciting, and this is another opportunity to grow what is already the biggest annual sporting event in the world in January.”
Djokovic will face qualifier Dino Prizmic in his opener, a Croatian born just 200 miles from the Serb’s hometown and playing in his first ever grand slam main draw.
Prizmic, 18, won the French Open boys’ event last year and made his next step up the ladder in August, winning his maiden second-tier title at a Challenger event in Banja Luka.
One to watch
(All times GMT)
It is tough to watch much of the day session at the Australian Open given the 11-hour time difference, meaning it is hard to recommend UK viewers tune in at 1am to watch Jannik Sinner against Botic van de Zandschulp or battle through the night to see No 5 seed Andrey Rublev take on electric hitter Thiago Seyboth Wild at around 3am.
However, the night session has plenty to recommend, particularly on Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne Park’s second biggest stadium.
First, 2018 champion and formerly retired Caroline Wozniacki faces the nuggety No 20 seed from Poland Magda Linette, a surprise semi-finalist here last year, starting at 8am. The Dane is favoured against Linette, who beat four seeded players in 2023, but Wozniacki is short of match practice having lost her opener in Auckland to Elina Svitolina.
Following them will be Frances Tiafoe and Borna Coric, expected on court just after 9.30am, in a mouth-watering match-up. They say in boxing that styles make fights and the same is true in tennis: Tiafoe is a spectacular player with power to burn, serving huge and using the whip on his forehand wherever possible.
Coric meanwhile is one of tennis’s great competitors and runners. The only concern will be the Croatian’s fitness, having not played since the US Open last year. If he is fit, this could be a first-rounder to remember.
How to watch in the UK
Britwatch
Jodie Burrage is the sole British player in action on Sunday, opening play on Court 13 at 2am against Tamara Korpatsch.
Korpatsch is used to British opposition in Melbourne, having lost to Emma Raducanu in the first round here last year.
Burrage is good friends with Raducanu and hit with her on Friday afternoon, and may even have gleaned a few tips from the 21-year-old about what to expect against her German first-round opponent.
“Emma was absolutely creaming the ball. She was proper going for it,” Burrage said.
“It will be good to see what all of us British girls can do this week. I think the conditions do suit us if we have our aggressive game style out there. It will be exciting.”
Order of play in full
(All courts start at midnight GMT unless otherwise stated)
Rod Laver Arena (from 1am)
- (4) Jannik Sinner vs Botic van de Zandschulp
- (8) Maria Sakkari vs Nao Hibino
- 8am: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Dino Prizmic
- Ella Seidel vs (2) Aryna Sabalenka
Margaret Court Arena (from 1am)
- Mai Hontama vs (9) Barbora Krejcikova
- Thiago Seyboth Wild vs (5) Andrey Rublev
- 8am: (20) Magda Linette vs Caroline Wozniacki
- (17) Frances Tiafoe vs Borna Coric
John Cain Arena
- (32) Leylah Fernandez vs Sara Bejlek
- Dane Sweeny vs (22) Francisco Cerundolo
- Not before 5am: (12) Taylor Fritz vs Facundo Diaz Acosta
1573 Arena
- (28) Lesia Tsurenko vs Lucia Bronzetti
- Fabian Marozsan vs Marin Cilic
- Jeffrey John Wolf vs (26) Sebastian Baez
Kia Arena
- Matteo Arnaldi vs Adam Walton
- Alize Cornet vs Maria Timofeeva
- (13) Laura Samsonova vs Amanda Anisimova
- Not before 6am: Daniel Elahi Galan vs Jason Kubler
Court 3
- Alexander Shevchenko vs Jaume Munar
- Alycia Parks vs Daria Snigur
- Not before 4.30am: Christopher O’Connell vs Christian Garin
Court 6
- Kamilla Rakhimova vs Emina Bektas
- Pavel Kotov vs Arthur Rinderknech
- Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Alina Korneeva
Court 7
- Zhuoxuan Bai vs Elina Avanesyan
- Diane Parry vs (30) Xin Yu Wang
- Quentin Halys vs Lloyd Harris
Court 13
- Tamara Korpatsch vs Jodie Burrage
- Tomas Machac vs Shintaro Mochizuki
- Caroline Dolehide vs Leolia Jeanjean
Court 17
- Ana Bogdan vs Brenda Fruhvirtova
- Jesper De Jong vs Pedro Cachin
