The build-up to this year’s Australian Open has been dominated by the news that Andy Murray will retire from professional tennis this year – with this month’s tournament possibly being his last.
Murray, the former World No1 and a five-time finalist at Melbourne, conceded on Friday that his persistent hip injury will see him retire this year, though he hopes to play on until Wimbledon.
The Brit takes on Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut on Monday morning.
Roger Federer, meanwhile, will be out to defend his title at Melbourne with he and Novak Djokovic seeking to become the competition’s most successful male player.
Federer’s 2018 victory over Rafael Nadal drew him level with Djokovic and Australian great Roy Emerson with six titles apiece.
After a dismal 2017, Djkokovic returned with a bang last year, winning Wimbledon and the US Open before reclaiming his place at the summit of men’s tennis.
Serena Williams, the winner of seven titles Down Under, is looking to win her 24thcareer major to draw level with Margaret Court’s all-time record.
Great Britain‘s Johanna Konta has achieved some of her career-best wins in Australia with semi-final and quarter-final finishes in 2016 2017 respectively. The 27-year-old will be desperate to make up for the disappointment of last year’s second round elimination.
Scroll down for Standard Sport's comprehensive preview of the tournament...
Date and start time
This year’s tournament gets underway on Monday 14 January. The women’s final takes place on Saturday 26 January with the men’s final to follow on Sunday 27 January.
TV online and live stream coverage
The 2019 Australian Open will be available to watch on Eurosport and the Eurosport Player for UK viewers. A monthly Eurosport pass will set you back £9:99.
The Eurosport Player channel is also available through Amazon Prime and is available for just 1p for the first six months. The promotion ends on 27 January.
You will also be able to follow all the action with Standard Sport’s live blogs throughout the tournament.
Prediction
Competition changes
For the first time, the Australian Open will have final-set tiebreakers for men's matches that reach a fifth set and women's matches that go to a third set.
The tournament joins Wimbledon in eliminating the possibility of never-ending final sets; previously the U.S. Open was the only major with a last-set tiebreaker.
The tiebreaker in Australia will come at 6-all and will be won by whichever player is the first to 10 points, ahead by at least two; at Wimbledon later in the year, the tiebreaker will be the standard first-to-seven, win-by-two format, but it will be used only when the final set reaches 12-all.
Also changing in Melbourne in 2019: A "heat stress scale" will take into account temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed and could lead to 10-minute suspensions of men's matches before a fourth set, following the lead of last year's U.S. Open.
Women's matches will continue to have the possibility of a 10-minute break before a third set.
Betting odds (via Betfair) | UK customers only
Men’s singles title
- Novak Djokovic: 6/5
- Roger Federer: 4/1
- Rafael Nadal: 7/1
- Alexander Zverev: 12/1
- Kei Nishikori: 20/1
- Andy Murray: 80/1
Women’s singles title
- Serena Williams: 9/2
- Angelique Kerber: 6/1
- Aryna Sabalenka: 12/1
- Naomi Osaka: 14/1
- Ashleigh Barty: 14/1
- Elina Svitolina: 14/1
- Johanna Konta: 66/1
Click here to place a bet.
Prize money
A tournament-record total of 62.5 million Australian dollars (about $45 million), with 4.1 million Australian dollars (about $3 million) each to the men's and women's singles champions.
What happened last year?
Federer beat 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 for a second consecutive title in Melbourne and sixth overall.
The victory also lifted Federer's men's-record Grand Slam trophy haul to 20. Wozniacki edged Simona Halep 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 to finally grab her first major championship.
Wozniacki had lost in two previous Grand Slam finals, as well as exiting in the semifinals four other times.
