The Australian Open in 10 Numbers

Tennis is a prime example of how a great business idea doesn’t require a great idea. Somehow, hitting a ball back and forth for a few hours has turned into a huge money maker, evidenced by the perpetual success of the four Grand Slams—the French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open, and, of course, the Australian Open. Here are 10 numbers to help you understand that last one, which as the calendar goes is actually the first one.

 

1905

The year of the first tournament, held in Melbourne. The event was subsequently staged in a handful of other cities throughout Australia (and even New Zealand) but has been rooted in Melbourne—the capital of the state of Victoria—since 1972.

 

1788

The year Arthur Phillip’s British fleet—including a reasonable number of convicts—landed at Sydney Cove. To be exact, the occurrence took place on January 26, marked today by Australia Day, which coincides with the two-week Australian Open.

 

5 million

The approximate population of the Greater Melbourne area, number two in Australia behind Sydney. Only 59.9 percent of that population was born within the nation’s borders.

 

80

The average daily high temperature (in Fahrenheit) in Melbourne during January. Of course, that means temperatures can occasionally reach unbearable highs well into the triple digits, perhaps inspiring this track by the country’s pride and joy?

 

Thankfully, retractable roofs are available on some courts, and an extreme heat policy is in place.

 

128

The number of players in each singles tournament (128 men and 128 women), meaning that seven consecutive victories are required to be crowned champion.

 

11

The number of Australian Open singles titles won by Margaret Court, the most of any player. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic sits atop the ranking with 10 titles. Court has since made a name for herself by opposing gay marriage, and Djokovic has been vocal in his stance against the COVID-19 vaccine, proving that being able to hit a ball doesn’t necessarily correlate with intelligence.

 

52.7 million

The total prize money in US dollars available for distribution at the 2023 Australian Open, managed by Tennis Australia, which generates revenue by selling tickets, broadcast rights (see below), and sponsorships. Each singles winner takes home a little over $2 million.

 

1984

The year ESPN first signed a deal with Tennis Australia (TA) for broadcast rights, with each contract extension adding a few extra digits. Similar contracts are signed worldwide by TA, explaining the impressive pot above.

 

1988

The year the tournament ditched grass in favor of hard courts.

 

812,174

The total attendance of the tournament in 2020, allowing the Aussies to claim the title of most-attended Grand Slam.

 

Oh yeah, one last one. There’s a 16-hour time difference between Melbourne and New York, so you might just want to skip to the French Open.