By Greg Stutchbury MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Fernando Verdasco can finally replace the memory off an epic failure with a glorious triumph after stunning fifth seed Rafa Nadal at the Australian Open on Tuesday. The Spaniard’s five-set loss to compatriot Nadal in semi-final of the season opening grand slam in 2009 is still talked about at Melbourne Park but the 32-year-old hopes that will stop after consigning his friend to a first round exit. Tuesday’s sequel on Rod Laver Arena mirrored their clash on the same court seven years ago when Nadal prevailed in five hours 14 minutes, the longest Australian Open match at the time, before going on to beat Roger Federer in the final. This time though a stunning six-game burst gave Verdasco victory after trailing 0-2 in the fifth set. “Still (people) tell me how good I played seven years ago,” Verdasco told reporters after his 7-6(6) 4-6 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 victory in four hours 41 minutes. “I’m like, ‘I didn’t play again after that?’ Even last night they told me at the hotel (about the 2009 match) and I’m like ‘I play against him tomorrow’.” Verdasco said he had watched a full replay of the 2009 semi-final about 10 times to learn from his mistakes but felt he was suffering a touch of deja vu on Tuesday. “Today’s match was very similar,” the world number 45, who served a double-fault to end the 2009 encounter, said. “I was for a second thinking about semi-finals and I was like ‘please I don’t want to lose with a double fault in 5-4, 30-40.'” The 32-year-old, however, played fearlessly in the decider and blasted a cross court forehand service return to inflict only Nadal’s second opening round defeat at a grand slam and book a second-round clash with Israel’s Dudi Sela. “Sometimes if you do what I did today, you can put all the balls outside and it’s like ‘this guy’s crazy. He just hits everything and misses’,” he added. “But when they are in, you’re playing unbelievable. “The difference is just so little but can be so big.” (Editing by Martyn Herman) 

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having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR,
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Spain's Verdasco celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Nadal at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, Australia

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<h2><strong>Australian Open: Latest News, Results and Records</strong></h2>
The Australian Open is the youngest of all the Grand Slams, having first started in 1905.

The tournament holds the record for the highest attendance at a Grand Slam event, where 743,667 people attended during the 2018 edition of the Australian Open. It also has the honor of being the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat.

There are three main courts, the Rod Laver Arena, the Melbourne Arena and the Margaret Court Arena. Aside from that, they have courts 7 to 15 and even court 19 and 20. The tournament first became open to all from 1969 onwards, a year after the remaining 3 did so.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-136876 size-full" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/ao-4.jpg" alt="" width="3000" height="2000" />
<h2><strong>Records</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/novak-djokovic/">Novak Djokovic</a> is the most successful player of the Australian Open in the Open era. The Serbian star has clinched eight Australian Open titles.

In the women's side of the game, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/serena-williams/">Serena Williams</a> is the most successful player with seven titles to her credit. Again, this was set in the Open era. Overall, Williams is still four behind tennis legend Margaret Court.

The youngest winner in the men's singles game was Australian player Ken Rosewall. Meanwhile, on the women's side, it was Martina Hingis. The players were 18 years, 2 months and 16 years, 4 months old respectively.

With regard to the oldest players, Rosewall bagged this crown at the aged 37 years and 2 months. However, if <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/roger-federer/">Roger Federer</a> wins the Australian Open, he could overtake Rosewall. In the women's side of the game, Thelma Long was the oldest winner at 35 years and 8 months.
<h2>Australian Open 2021 Plans</h2>
The two Grand Slams held after the Australian Open 2020 saw major changes than usual. The <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/us-open-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">US Open 2020</a> and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/french-open-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">French Open 2020</a> were held inside a bio-secure bubble on account of the complications arising due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The US Open 2020 was held behind closed doors, while the French Open 2020 saw just 1000 spectators allowed inside the Roland Garros fields.

Australian Open organizers are planning to allow 50 percent of the seats to be filled by fans. This is subject to government clearance. They also <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/that-wont-happen-australian-open-2021-proposes-to-relax-strict-quarantine-measures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">plan</a> on introducing relaxations on a lot of the quarantine restrictions the players had in Paris and New York.

While the 14-day quarantine will be there on arrival at Melbourne Park, there is expected to be some freedom for players and their team members.

Australian Open 2021 is expected to be held from January 18-31, 2021.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-99443" src="http://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Australian_Open_logo.svg_.png" alt="" width="1280" height="458" />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><b>Edition</b></td>
<td>108th
Open Era (52nd)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Current Prize Money</b></td>
<td>$4.5 million (men's and women's champion)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Number of Entries (Main Draw)</strong></td>
<td>128</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Current Champions</b></td>
<td><strong>Men's Si</strong><strong style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;">ngles</strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;"> - Novak Djokovic</span>

<strong>Women's Singles</strong> - Sofia Kenin

<strong>Men's Doubles</strong> - Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury

<strong>Women's Doubles</strong> - Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic

<strong>Mixed Doubles</strong> - Barbora Krejčíková/Nikola Mektic</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Most Titles</b></td>
<td><strong>Men's Singles</strong> - Novak Djokovic (8)

<strong>Women's Singles</strong> - Margaret Court (11)

<strong>Men's Doubles</strong> - Adrian Quist (10)

<strong>Women's Doubles</strong> - Thelma Coyne Long (12)

<strong>Mixed Doubles</strong> - Harry Hopman, Colin Long, Daphne Akhurst Cozens, Nell Hall Hopman, Nancye Wynne Bolton, Thelma Coyne Long (4)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Australian Open

Australian Open: Latest News, Results and Records The Australian Open is the youngest of all the Grand Slams, having first started in 1905. The tournament holds the record for the highest attendance at a Grand Slam event, where 743,667 people attended during the 2018 edition of the Australian Open. It also has the honor of being the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat. There are three main courts, the Rod Laver Arena, the Melbourne Arena and the Margaret Court Arena. Aside from that, they have courts 7 to 15 and even court 19 and 20. The tournament first became open to all from 1969 onwards, a year after the remaining 3 did so. Records Novak Djokovic is the most successful player of the Australian Open in the Open era. The Serbian star has clinched eight Australian Open titles. In the women&#8217;s side of the game, Serena Williams is the most successful player with seven titles to her credit. Again, this was set in the Open era. Overall, Williams is still four behind tennis legend Margaret Court. The youngest winner in the men&#8217;s singles game was Australian player Ken Rosewall. Meanwhile, on the women&#8217;s side, it was Martina Hingis. The players were 18 years, 2 months and 16 years, 4 months old respectively. With regard to the oldest players, Rosewall bagged this crown at the aged 37 years and 2 months. However, if Roger Federer wins the Australian Open, he could overtake Rosewall. In the women&#8217;s side of the game, Thelma Long was the oldest winner at 35 years and 8 months. Australian Open 2021 Plans The two Grand Slams held after the Australian Open 2020 saw major changes than usual. The US Open 2020 and French Open 2020 were held inside a bio-secure bubble on account of the complications arising due to the coronavirus pandemic. The US Open 2020 was held behind closed doors, while the French Open 2020 saw just 1000 spectators allowed inside the Roland Garros fields. Australian Open organizers are planning to allow 50 percent of the seats to be filled by fans. This is subject to government clearance. They also plan on introducing relaxations on a lot of the quarantine restrictions the players had in Paris and New York. While the 14-day quarantine will be there on arrival at Melbourne Park, there is expected to be some freedom for players and their team members. Australian Open 2021 is expected to be held from January 18-31, 2021.   Edition 108th Open Era (52nd)  Current Prize Money $4.5 million (men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s champion)  Number of Entries (Main Draw) 128  Current Champions Men&#8217;s Singles &#8211; Novak Djokovic Women&#8217;s Singles &#8211; Sofia Kenin Men&#8217;s Doubles &#8211; Rajeev Ram/Joe Salisbury Women&#8217;s Doubles &#8211; Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic Mixed Doubles &#8211; Barbora Krejčíková/Nikola Mektic  Most Titles Men&#8217;s Singles &#8211; Novak Djokovic (8) Women&#8217;s Singles &#8211; Margaret Court (11) Men&#8217;s Doubles &#8211; Adrian Quist (10) Women&#8217;s Doubles &#8211; Thelma Coyne Long (12) Mixed Doubles &#8211; Harry Hopman, Colin Long, Daphne Akhurst Cozens, Nell Hall Hopman, Nancye Wynne Bolton, Thelma Coyne Long (4)

Australian Open Archives

Australian Open Archives - EssentiallySports

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