The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, will end this weekend after having awarded prizes for more than US$50 million in a tournament in which the individual champion will start between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas, in the men’s final, and between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, in the feminine.
The multi-million dollar figure that the tennis tournament will deliver is in keeping with its centenary history, since it is a contest that began to be held in 1905. In this edition, the individual champion will take home more than $4.7 millionif the prizes that the competition will give you for the rounds you won until reaching the final are added.
Just for staying with the last match of the tournament, lThe tennis players will be able to pocket more than US$2.06 million, to which we must add the money they obtained for winning the matches from the first round. The tournament authorities increased the money allocated this year by 3.4%, compared to the previous one, while they try to bring back the fans who walked away because of the Covid-19.
In 2022, 346,468 viewers were welcomed, far from the figures that were seen before the pandemic. Despite the blow caused by the mobility restrictions, the money received by the participants in the Australian Open has not stopped growing and if 2003 is taken as a reference, there is an increase of more than 321% and more than 283% since 2007when Craig Tiley took over the management of the tournament.
Djokovic against Tsitsipas
The men’s final will have the tennis player who has won the most in this tournament in history. The Greek Tsitsipás will try to overcome the favoritism of the Serbian Djokovicwho has won this competition nine times.
If he is champion this weekend, he will not only have done so in Australia 10 times, but it will equal the 22 Grand Slam that the Spanish Rafael Nada hasl, whom he could surpass considering that he is not only younger, but also in better physical condition.
However, despite the Serbian’s favouritism, the expert Wilson García considers that Tsitsipás could surprise because of the extra motivation he has. “He has had a good run, he is very fast and skillful. You can win”.
Rybakina contra Sabalenka
On the other hand, in the women’s final, Rybakina has been a revelation, as last year she won Wimbledon and now she is in the finals of the Australian Open. Andrés Botero, a tennis expert, believes that she has more options because she is playing a better game, has a very powerful serve and is the current champion of the tournament in London.
The tennis player managed to save herself from the ban made by the organization of this championship on not allowing players from Ukraine and Russia due to the war, because she participated in the tournament on behalf of Kazakhstan and also had this nationality. Now he will seek the Grand Slam against Sabalenka.
