Australian Open

The first Slam of the year sets the tone — and the drama is real. Follow the latest WTA Australian Open news from the blazing courts of Melbourne. From fairytale runs to top-seed showdowns, we’ve got every ace, upset, and breakthrough covered with passion and a fan’s eye.

Location history

The Australian Open, originally known as the Australasian Championships, began in 1905 at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In its early years, the tournament rotated frequently across Australia and New Zealand to accommodate travel logistics of the time, which relied heavily on trains and ships, making long-distance journeys between distant cities more feasible through shared hosting burdens. Key early venues included Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand (1906); Auchenflower in Brisbane, Queensland (1907 and 1915); Double Bay Grounds in Sydney, New South Wales (1908 and 1919); Perth Zoo in Perth, Western Australia (1909); Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, South Australia (1910 and 1920); Hastings, New Zealand (1912); and Mueller Park in Perth (1913) These rotations spanned seven cities in total, highlighting the event’s nomadic phase amid limited infrastructure. Following interruptions from World War I and World War II, the tournament resumed rotations in the post-war period, with Sydney emerging as a frequent host in the 1950s at White City Stadium (1951, 1954, 1958). Other cities like Adelaide at Memorial Drive (1946, 1949, 1952, 1955, 1959) and Brisbane at Milton Courts (1956, 1960, 1964) continued to share duties, but by the 1960s, Melbourne regained prominence, hosting at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in 1961, 1965, and 1968. From 1972 to 1987, Kooyong in Melbourne served as the permanent venue on grass courts, accommodating up to 8,500 spectators in its main stadium, though growing international participation strained its facilities and led to overcrowding concerns.  The shift reflected the rise of air travel, which diminished the need for regional rotations by enabling easier access to a single, central location.

In 1988, the tournament relocated to the newly built Flinders Park (renamed Melbourne Park in 1997) in Melbourne, where it has remained ever since, marking the end of major relocations. The move boosted attendance from 140,000 at Kooyong in 1987 to 266,436 in the inaugural year at the new site, underscoring the benefits of expanded capacity and modern amenities.

While Sydney expressed interest in hosting during the 1980s amid Kooyong’s limitations, Melbourne secured the long-term commitment.

Unconfirmed rumors of international relocation surfaced in 2021 due to COVID-19 border restrictions, suggesting potential moves to Dubai or Doha, but the event stayed in Melbourne.This evolution from multi-city hosting to a fixed Melbourne base parallels the tournament’s growth into a global Grand Slam.

Australian Open Women’s Champions and Finals

2025 Madison Keys def. Aryna Sabalenka 6–3, 2–6, 7–5
2024 Aryna Sabalenka def. Zheng Qinwen 6–3, 6–2
2023 Aryna Sabalenka def. Elena Rybakina 6-4, 6-3
2022 Ashleigh Barty def. Danielle Collins, 6–3, 7–6(2)
2021 Naomi Osaka def. Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3
2020 Sofia Kenin def. Garbiñe Muguruza 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
2019 Naomi Osaka def. Petra Kvitová 7–6(2), 5–7, 6–4
2018 Caroline Wozniacki def. Simona Halep 7–6(2), 3–6, 6–4
2017 Serena Williams def. Venus Williams 6–4, 6–4
2016 Angelique Kerber def. Serena Williams 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
2015 Serena Williams def. Maria Sharapova 6–3, 7–6(5)
2014 Li Na def. Dominika Cibulková 7–6(3), 6–0
2013 Victoria Azarenka def. Li Na 4–6, 6–4, 6–3
2012 Victoria Azarenka def. Maria Sharapova 6–3, 6–0
2011 Kim Clijsters def. Li Na 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
2010 Serena Williams def. Justine Henin 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
2009 Serena Williams vs. Dinara Safina 6–0, 6–3
2008 Maria Sharapova vs. Ana Ivanovic 7–5, 6–3
2007 Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova 6–1, 6–2
2006 Amélie Mauresmo vs. Justine Henin 6–1, 2–0 retired
2005 Serena Williams vs. Lindsay Davenport 2–6, 6–3, 6–0
2004 Justine Henin vs. Kim Clijsters 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
2003 Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams 7–6(7–4), 3–6, 6–4
2002 Jennifer Capriati vs. Martina Hingis 4–6, 7–6(7), 6–2
2001 Jennifer Capriati vs. Martina Hingis 6–4, 6–3
2000 Lindsay Davenport vs. Martina Hingis 6–1, 7–5
1999 Martina Hingis vs. Amélie Mauresmo 6–2, 6–3
1998 Martina Hingis vs. Conchita Martínez 6–3, 6–3
1997 Martina Hingis vs. Mary Pierce 6–2, 6–2
1996 Monica Seles vs. Anke Huber 6–4, 6–1
1995 Mary Pierce vs. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–3, 6–2
1994 Steffi Graf vs. Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6–0, 6–2
1993 Monica Seles vs. Steffi Graf 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
1992 Monica Seles vs. Mary Joe Fernández 6–2, 6–3
1991 Monica Seles vs. Jana Novotná 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
1990 Steffi Graf vs. Mary Joe Fernández 6–3, 6–4
1989 Steffi Graf vs. Helena Suková 6–4, 6–4
1988 Steffi Graf vs. Chris Evert 6–1, 7–6(7–3)
1987 Hana Mandlíková vs. Martina Navratilova 7–5, 7–6(1)
1986 No competition (due to date change)
1985 Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert 6–2, 4–6, 6–2
1984 Chris Evert vs. Helena Suková 6–7(4–7), 6–1, 6–3
1983 Martina Navratilova vs. Kathy Jordan 6–2, 7–6(7–5)
1982 Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1981 Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert 6–7(4), 6–4, 7–5
1980 Hana Mandlíková vs. Wendy Turnbull 6–0, 7–5
1979 Barbara Jordan vs. Sharon Walsh 6–3, 6–3
1978 Chris O’Neil vs. Betsy Nagelsen 6–3, 7–6(3)
1977 Evonne Goolagong vs. Helen Gourlay 6–3, 6–0
1977 Kerry Melville Reid vs. Dianne Fromholtz 7–5, 6–2
1976 Evonne Goolagong vs. Renáta Tomanová 6–2, 6–2
1975 Evonne Goolagong vs. Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–2
1974 Evonne Goolagong vs. Chris Evert 7–6(5), 4–6, 6–0
1973 Margaret Court vs. Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 7–5
1972 Virginia Wade vs. Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 6–4
1971 Margaret Court vs. Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 7–6(0), 7–5
1970 Margaret Court vs. Kerry Melville 6–1, 6–3
1969 Margaret Court vs. Billie Jean King 6–4, 6–1