MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Get ready for the Australian Open before play begins at Melbourne Park on Sunday morning (Saturday night CST) with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the year’s first Grand Slam tennis tournament, what the schedule is, what the betting odds are, who the defending champions are and more:
HOW TO WATCH THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN ON TV
—In the U.S.: ESPN
THE SINGLES SCHEDULE
Melbourne’s time zone is 16 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States, so when play begins at 11 a.m. local time on Sunday in Australia, it’ll be 7 p.m. ET on Saturday. This is the first time the tournament begins on a Sunday, instead of a Monday, turning it into a 15-day event.
Here is the singles schedule in Australia:
—Sunday-Monday-Tuesday: First Round (Women and Men)
—Wednesday-Thursday: Second Round (Women and Men)
—Friday-Saturday: Third Round (Women and Men)
—Jan. 21-22: Fourth Round (Women and Men)
—Jan. 23-24: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)
—Jan. 25: Women’s Semifinals
—Jan. 26: Men’s Semifinals
—Jan. 27: Women’s Final
—Jan. 28: Men’s Final
BETTING FAVORITES
Novak Djokovic is a plus-100 pick to win the men’s title, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, ahead of No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz at plus-350. Djokovic beat Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final last September to clinch his 24th Grand Slam singles title. Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final last year to end the Serbian star’s chances of a calendar-year Grand Slam. Iga Swiatek is the top women’s choice at plus-220. She is followed by Aryna Sabalenka at plus-430, 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff at plus-470 and Elena Rybakina, last year’s Australian Open runner-up, at plus-500. A noteworthy line: Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka is listed at plus-3,600 as she returns to Grand Slam action following the birth of her daughter, Shai, last July.
WHO IS PLAYING ON DAY 1?
Djokovic and Sabalenka both open their title defenses by facing an 18-year-old qualifier in Rod Laver Arena during the tournament’s first night session. Djokovic is up first on Sunday at 7 p.m. local time (2 a.m. CT), against Dino Prizmic of Croatia, followed by Sabalenka against Ella Seidel of Germany. Also in action at night, starting at the same as time Djokovic, is 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki against 2023 semifinalist Magda Linette at Margaret Court Arena, with 2022 U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe against Borna Coric afterward. Play on some courts begins as early as 11 a.m. local time Sunday (6 p.m. CT Saturday), including 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez taking on 17-year-old Czech qualifier Sara Bejlek to start things off in John Cain Arena. Taylor Fritz, the highest-ranked American man, is scheduled to play Facundo Diaz Acosta in the third match on that court, not before 4 p.m. local time (11 p.m. CT). Rod Laver Arena’s day session starts at noon local time (7 p.m. CT Saturday), with No. 4 seed Jannik Sinner against Botic van de Zandschulp.
GET CAUGHT UP
What to read heading into the Australian Open:
— Basic facts and figures about the tournament
— Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open withdrawal leaves plenty of questions about his future
— Now a mom, Naomi Osaka returns to tennis
— The pressure is off Coco Gauff
