World’s best tennis players announced for AO Opening Week charity matches
An incredible line-up of Grand Slam champs and Aussie rising stars has been announced for a series of charity matches ahead of the Aus Open. Find out who’s playing and how to score cheap tickets.
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A star-studded line-up of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medallists and top-ranked Aussies has been announced for charity matches on Rod Laver Arena next week – and tennis fans can be courtside for just $30.
Reigning Australian Open champ Aryna Sabalenka, US Open winner Coco Gauff, world No.2 Alexander Zverev, fan favourite Stefanos Tsitsipas and Ukranian star Elina Svitolina are the latest players revealed as participants in AO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun.
They join Australian young guns Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin, multi-Grand Slam winners Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and Olympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng on the line-up for four nights of charity matches from January 7-10.
Tickets start at $30 for adults and $24 for kids and concession, and provide access to two matches each night.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said AO Opening Week aimed to “make world-class tennis more accessible for kids and families”.
“The line-up for our Opening Week could not be more thrilling, with reigning champions and top players uniting to raise funds for charity,” he said.
The January 7 double-header will start with a charity match between Sinner and Popyrin. Popyrin will then return to centre court to participate in new AO Opening Week event Red Bull Bassline, alongside fellow top-25 players Casper Ruud and Holger Rune, former world No.4 Kei Nishikori and two further players to be announced soon.
The fast-paced tennis tournament is making its Australian debut at Melbourne Park, hosted by Dylan Alcott, after amping up crowds throughout Europe.
Back-to-back charity matches between Olympic medallists Zheng and Svitolina, and then de Minaur and Alcaraz will be played on the evening of January 8. The following night, a mixed-doubles event will showcase Sabalenka, Gauff and Zverev before Djokovic hosts “A Night with Novak” featuring special guests from tennis and other sports.
On January 10, an Alcaraz-Popyrin and Sinner-Tsitsipas double-header will round out the charity matches, which will raise money for a range of children’s charities through the Australian Tennis Foundation.
Fans can also snare Opening Week ground passes for just $15 for adults and $10 for kids. From January 6, these will provide access to qualifying matches in which players including Cruz Hewitt and Bernard Tomic will battle for the final spots in the AO main draw, open practice featuring top seeds on Rod Laver Arena, and a Fan Zone where fans can get autographs and photos with players.
Kids Tennis Day then takes place on January 11, before the AO main tournament begins on January 12.
Tickets for Red Bull Bassline and all AO Opening Week charity matches are on sale via Ticketmaster. For more information, visit ausopen.com/whats-on
AO Opening Week, presented by the Herald Sun
Evenings on Rod Laver Arena:
January 7
4pm: Charity match, Jannik Sinner vs Alexei Popyrin
7pm: Red Bull Bassline, featuring Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Alexei Popyrin, Kei Nishikori and two additional players to be announced soon, hosted by Dylan Alcott
January 8
Charity match double-header – 5pm: Qinwen Zheng vs Elina Svitolina, 7pm: Alex de Minaur vs Carlos Alcaraz
January 9
Charity match double-header – 5pm: Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Alexander Zverev and others play mixed doubles, 7pm: Night with Novak charity event, starring Novak Djokovic and special guests from tennis and other sports
January 10
Charity match double-header – 5pm: Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexei Popyrin, 7pm: Jannik Sinner vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Other attractions:
AO qualifying, from 10am on January 6-8 and 11am on January 9
Open Practice on Rod Laver Arena, from 11am-4pm on January 6, 8-11 and 11am-2.30pm on January 7
Grand Slam Oval Fan Stage, from 12-6pm on January 6-10
1 Point Slam, date and time to be announced
Kids Tennis Day on January 11
Originally published as World’s best tennis players announced for AO Opening Week charity matches
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