Australian Open 2024 order of play: Today's matches, full schedule and how to watch on TV
Elena Rybakina’s bid to reach back-to-back Australian Open finals ended in disappointment as she crashed to a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(20) defeat by unseeded Russian Anna Blinkova in the second round on Thursday.
The match was decided in an enthralling final set tiebreak, which at 42 points is the longest tiebreak in a singles match in grand slam history.
Elsewhere on a day of shocks, eighth seed Holger Rune suffered a 7-6(4), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 defeat to world No 122 Arthur Cazaux and unseeded Frenchwoman Clara Burel beat American fifth seed Jessica Pegula 6-4 6-2.
World number one Iga Swiatek fought back from a 4-1 deficit in the deciding set of her second-round match against American Collins to win 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter were both knocked out by opponents from China. First Boulter was beaten by Zheng Qinwen then Raducanu lost to Yafan Wang in three sets.
Cameron Norrie needed five sets to beat the Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri while Jack Draper lost to Tommy Paul in four entertaining sets.
What is Thursday’s order of play?
(All times GMT)
Rod Laver Arena
From 1am: (1) Iga Swiatek (Pol) v Danielle Collins (USA), Lorenzo Sonego (Ita) v (2) Carlos Alcaraz (Spa)
From 8am: (3) Elena Rybakina (Kaz) v Anna Blinkova (Rus), Emil Ruusuvuori (Fin) v (3) Daniil Medvedev (Rus)
Margaret Court Arena
From 1am: Max Purcell (Aus) v (11) Casper Ruud (Nor), Clara Burel (Fra) v (5) Jessica Pegula (USA)
From 8am: 8) Holger Rune (Den) v Arthur Cazaux (Fra), Clara Tauson (Den) v (18) Victoria Azarenka (Blr)
John Cain Arena
From 12am: (6) Alexander Zverev (Ger) v Lukas Klein (Svk), Sloane Stephens (USA) v (14) Daria Kasatkina (Rus), (13) Grigor Dimitrov (Bul) v Thanasi Kokkinakis (Aus), (11) Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) v Ajla Tomljanovic (Aus)
Kia Arena
From 12am: McCartney Kessler (USA) v Linda Noskova (Cze), (14) Tommy Paul (USA) v Jack Draper (Gbr), (27) Emma Navarro (USA) v Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Ita), Jakub Mensik (Cze) v (9) Hubert Hurkacz (Pol)
1573 Arena
From 12am: (19) Cameron Norrie (Gbr) v Giulio Zeppieri (Ita), (12) Qinwen Zheng (Chn) v Katie Boulter (Gbr), Emma Raducanu (Gbr) v Yafan Wang (Chn), (27) Felix Auger-Aliassime (Can) v Hugo Grenier (Fra)
Court 3
From 12am: Alex Michelsen (USA) v (32) Jiri Lehecka (Cze), Nuno Borges (Por) v (23) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spa), (19) Elina Svitolina (Ukr) v Viktoriya Tomova (Bul), Alexander Erler (Aut) & Lucas Miedler (Aut) v Max Purcell (Aus) & Jordan Thompson (Aus)
Court 5
From 12am: Sofia Kenin (USA) & Asia Muhammad (USA) v (10) Hao-Ching Chan (Tpe) & Giuliana Olmos (Mex), Anirudh Chandrasekar (Ind) & Vijay Sundar Prashanth (Ind) v Marton Fucsovics (Hun) & Fabian Marozsan (Hun), Alex Bolt (Aus) & Luke Saville (Aus) v Harri Heliovaara (Fin) & John Peers (Aus), Yannick Hanfmann (Ger) & Dominik Koepfer (Ger) v Christopher Eubanks (USA) & Ben Shelton (USA), Matteo Arnaldi (Ita) & Andrea Pellegrino (Ita) v N.Sriram Balaji (Ind) & Victor Vlad Cornea (Rom)
Court 6
From 12am: Marcus Daniell (Nzl) & Marcelo Demoliner (Bra) v John Millman (Aus) & Edward Winter (Aus), Tatjana Maria (Ger) v (26) Jasmine Paolini (Ita), Arthur Fils (Fra) v (28) Tallon Griekspoor (Ned), Laslo Djere (Ser) & Christopher O’Connell (Aus) v (16) Rinky Hijikata (Aus) & Jason Kubler (Aus)
Court 7
From 12am: Fang-Hsien Wu (Tpe) & Lin Zhu (Chn) v (7) Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) & Ellen Perez (Aus), Miomir Kecmanovic (Ser) v (24) Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger), Katerina Siniakova (Cze) v Viktorija Golubic (Swi), (5) Barbora Krejcikova (Cze) & Laura Siegemund (Ger) v Katie Boulter (Gbr) & Petra Martic (Cro)
Court 8
From 12am: Francisco Cabral (Por) & Henry Patten (Gbr) v Tristan Schoolkate (Aus) & Adam Walton (Aus), James Duckworth (Aus) & Marc Polmans (Aus) v (2) Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Matthew Ebden (Aus), (21) Ugo Humbert (Fra) v Zhizhen Zhang (Chn), Varvara Gracheva (Fra) v Dayana Yastremska (Ukr), (1) Storm Hunter (Aus) & Matthew Ebden (Aus) v Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukr) & Mate Pavic (Cro)
Court 13
From 12am: Arantxa Rus (Ned) v Anna Kalinskaya (Rus), Oceane Dodin (Fra) v Martina Trevisan (Ita), Sumit Nagal (Ind) v Juncheng Shang (Chn), (1) Cori Gauff (USA) & Jessica Pegula (USA) v Clara Burel (Fra) & Diane Parry (Fra)
When do the Australian Open finals take place?
The women’s final is on Saturday, January 27. The men’s final is on the following day: January 28.
How to watch the Australian Open on TV in the UK
In the UK, Eurosport has the broadcasting rights to live action from Melbourne and will be showing 260 hours of tennis. To watch on Discovery+, an Entertainment & Sport pass is £6.99/month or £59.99/year.
This year, Nick Kyrgios will be part of Eurosport’s English-language commentary team, and will be one of the highlights of a camera stream direct from the commentary booth. Kyrgios will be joined in Australia by presenters John McEnroe, Barbara Schett and Laura Robson, and from a London studio by new host Rachel Stringer.
How to watch the Australian Open on TV in the US
ESPN has the broadcasting rights to show the tournament.
Who are the defending champions?
Last year, Novak Djokovic claimed the men’s singles title for a record-extending 10th time after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Aryna Sabalenka claimed her first grand slam singles title in the women’s draw when she defeated Elena Rybakina in three sets.
Latest odds
To win the men’s title
Novak Djokovic 11/10
Carlos Alcaraz 7/2
Jannik Sinner 11/2
Daniil Medvedev 9/1
Alexander Zverev 25/1
To win the women’s title
Iga Swiatek 2/1
Aryna Sabalenka 15/4
Coco Gauff 5/1
Which British players are involved?
In the men’s draw, Andy Murray and Dan Evans lost in the opening round while Jack Draper was knocked out the second round. Cameron Norrie is the last British player left.
Among the women, Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter made it through to round two but failed to reach the third round. Jodie Burrage was knocked out in the first round.
When did the Australian Open start?
The tournament got under way on Sunday, January 14. It was the first Sunday start in the tournament’s history.
What is the Australian Open prize money?
This year’s Australian Open total prize money is a record 13 per cent increase on 2023 – £46.3 million will be shared by the field with the winners each taking home £1.68 million.
“We’ve upped prize money for every round at the Australian Open with the major increases in qualifying and the early rounds of singles and doubles,” Tiley said. “We want to ensure Australia remains the launchpad for the global tennis season and the players and their teams have everything they need to help them perform at their best and continue to enjoy the happy slam.”
