Serena Williams had a tough time with Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round of Australian Open 2021. Both the players played a high quality first set, with Serena wrestling past to win it 6-4. But the set featured enthralling rallies, and one being spectacularly gruesome. When Sabalenka was serving at 4-5 there was a great rally. She was already trailing 15-0 in the game and needed to win the game to stay in the set, thus she fought hard for the point. As she served to Serena’s backhand, the 23-time Grand Slam champ returned it to Sabalenka’s backhand. Serena Williams [https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-02-14T031652Z_2140050514_UP1EH2E0944KV_RTRMADP_3_TENNIS-AUSOPEN.jpg]Serena Williams of the U.S. in action during her fourth round match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka. REUTERS/Loren Elliott From there, both the players exchanged gruesome backhands. The whole stadium was echoing with their grunts. As Sabalenka grunted harder and hit the ball with pace, Serena returned the favor with more aggression. Sabalenka pulled the trigger with a down the line stroke to Serena’s forehand. Serena did her everything to reach the ball and just hit the ball with a loud grunt. SERENA WILLIAMS TOILS TO WIN THE POINT The ball landed close to the baseline, and the players resumed the rally [https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1360789710239641601?s=09] from the baseline. Sabalenka [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/aryna-sabalenka/] then pulled the trigger with a down the line forehand towards Serena’s [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/serena-williams/] backhand. Serena returned the ball high enough for Sabalenka to smash. But the Belarusian missed badly, and the ball failed to go past the net. Serena forged a great defense to force a mistake from Sabalenka. In the end, Serena broke Sabalenka for the first time in the match and won the first set of the tie [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/australian-open-2021], 6-4. But the rally showed there was little to differentiate between the two athletes. Serena won her 7th consecutive set at Aussie Open 2021 and looked like her 2017 self that won the Australian Open [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/tennis/australian-open/] that year. READ MORE- Naomi Osaka Fends Off Two Match Points to Beat Garbine Muguruza at Australian Open 2021 [https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-naomi-osaka-fends-off-two-match-points-to-beat-garbine-muguruza-at-australian-open-2021/] 

Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka were involved in a gruesome rally at
Australian Open 2021 that had everything from the players.

Bhavishya Mittal is a tennis author for EssentiallySports, who is currently
pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Manipal University. A former
sports editor for The Manipal Journal, Bhavishya has also worked for The New
Indian Express. He has a keen eye for many sports but he is a particularly
ardent follower of tennis, with a zest to create riveting articles on the
ever-evolving sport. Bhavishya admires the fast and grueling nature of
21st-century tennis with him considering Roger Federer a standout performer.

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Bhavishya Mittal

Australian Open

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WATCH: Serena Williams Wins Point With Insane Defensive Skills Against Aryna
Sabalenka at Australian Open 2021

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Naomi Osaka’s Renewed Focus Highlighted With Great Emotion as Coach Patrick
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ATP Finals: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Dominance Triggers Alexander
Zverev to Strictly Follow Unique Post-Match Ritual

Coco Gauff Emotionally Reveals Whether She Seeks Therapist’s Help and Boyfriend
Jalen Sera’s Role in Tackling Hurtful Comments From Haters

<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: 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)

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Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka were involved in a gruesome rally at Australian Open 2021 that had everything from the players.

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WATCH: Serena Williams Wins Point With Insane Defensive Skills Against Aryna Sabalenka at Australian Open 2021

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Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka 2024: Networth, Salary, boyfriend, and EndorsementsÂ  Who is Aryna Sabalenka? Aryna SiarhiejeÅ­na Sabalenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player, born on May 5, 1998. The Womenâ€™s Tennis Association (WTA) formerly ranked her as world number one in both singles and doubles. Sabalenka has won two major singles titles, the 2023 and 2024 Australian Opens, and two major doubles titles, the 2019 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open, both with Elise Mertens. She has 20 career titles in total, including 14 in singles and six in doubles. She was famously introduced to tennis by coincidence. Sabalenka eventually decided to pursue it professionally. She has been training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk, Belarus since it opened in 2014. Sabalenka currently trains with her coach, Anton Dubrov. Dubrov is a tennis instructor and former player from Belarus. Heâ€™s been Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s coach since 2020. Read More &#8211; Belarusian Tennis Beauty Aryna Sabalenka Takes Much-Needed Breather To Explore the â€˜Eternal Cityâ€™ With 42-Year-Old Boyfriend and Her Step-Child Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s early life Sabalenka was born in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Her father, Sergey, who died in 2019, was an ice hockey player. Sabalenka began playing tennis by happenstance. She explained, â€œOne day, my dad was just driving me somewhere in the car, and on the way he saw tennis courts. So he took me to the courts. I really liked it and enjoyed it and thatâ€™s how it was. Thatâ€™s how it started.â€ Tennis &#8211; Australian Open &#8211; Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia &#8211; January 24, 2022 Belarus&#8217; Aryna Sabalenka walks off court after losing her fourth round match against Estonia&#8217;s Kaia Kanepi REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake She started training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk when it launched in 2014. In 2015, the Belarusian Tennis Federation convinced Sabalenka and her team to focus on low-level professional events rather than junior competitions, despite the fact that she was still qualified to compete at the junior level. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s parents Sergey Sabalenka and Yuliya Sabalenka raised the two siblings in the nationâ€™s capital. Unfortunately, Aryna&#8217;s father died in 2019 at the age of 44. Sergey was a former hockey goalkeeper who introduced her to tennis. He played professionally for a variety of teams throughout his career. Although Aryna was initially inspired by her fatherâ€™s engagement in ice hockey, she later discovered her true passion in tennis. Aug 12, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after a point against Rebecca Marino of Canada (not pictured) during third round play at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports Her mother, Yulia Sabalenka, has been a huge supporter of Aryna&#8217;s sport. Aryna acknowledges the significance her parents have had in her life. She also has a close relationship with her mother, Yulia.Â  Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s net worth 2024 Sabalenka, who has found the nickname &#8216;The Tiger,&#8217; has racked up quite a list of titles since she became an active player in 2012. With 19 titles in her hand, she has career winnings amounting to a whopping $20,512,563 million during her time on the court. Her net worth is currently estimated to be $20 million.Â  Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s career timeline Sabalenka got a late start on the ITF Junior Circuit, competing in the U14 and U16 Tennis Europe tournaments at a young age. She did not compete in the main draw of any ITF events until 2013 when she was 15 years old and played in the low-level Grade-4 Tallink Cup in Estonia. She never competed in the junior Grand Slam tournaments or any other high-level Grade-A and Grade-1 competitions. The Belarusian beauty won her maiden professional match in Istanbul at the end of 2014. The following season, in October, she won her first two titles in Antalya, both at $10,000. Sabalenka eventually played at the senior WTA Tour in 2016 and ended the year ranked 158. She would double her efforts and win her first Masters title in 2018, which helped launch her rank to 11. She jumped to rank 9 in February 2019 and would continue to go up and down the ranks and go on to end the year ranked 11 once again. In 2020, Sabalenka would win her first Qatar Open and end the year ranked 10. The Belarusian beauty would have her best year in 2021 as she would manage to break into the top 5. Two semifinals in grand slams and one Masters title would help her end the year at rank 2. She fell slightly in 2022 as she did not manage to win any major titles. Her ranking also fell, and she ended 2022 ranked 5. 2023 would be an even better year for her. She won her first Grand Slam as the year kicked off. Read More &#8211; â€œI Was Cryingâ€ â€“ Aryna Sabalenka Re-Lives Coco Gauff Heart-Break and Other Scary Moments of Her Tennis Career She also played till two semifinals and fought in the US Open finals againstÂ Coco Gauff. Saba would climb to rank 1 after the tournament but would fall to 2 in the coming months to once again end the year as second best. She kickstarted her 2024 stint with an Australian Open win and breezed past her opponents. She became one of the few women to win the first slam of the year without dropping a set. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s boyfriend Sabalenka is in a loving relationship with Konstantin Koltsov, a former Belarusian Ice Hockey player. Koltsov was a professional ice hockey player for 18 years, competing for Belarus in the IIHF World Championships and the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010. He also had a brief stint in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sep 9, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts after winning a point against Leylah Fernandez of Canada (not pictured) on day eleven of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports Image Credit: Reuters In June 2021, Sabalenka and Koltsov officially showcased their relationship on Instagram. She posted a photo of Koltsov kissing her on the cheek while she smiled at the camera on June 19. Sabalenka and Koltsov took a trip around Rome, Italy, in May 2022. She shared many Instagram photographs of the couple posing in front of the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, as well as enjoying gelato together from their vacation. The couple has taken many steps together and is there for each other whenever one needs the other. When Sabalenka was exhausted from her press conferences and an exit from the French Open, Koltsov was front and center in making sure that Sabalenka could have some relief from her arduous time at the tournament. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s partnerships and endorsements Her biggest sponsorship deals are around her outfit and equipment. Sabalenka is a Nike athlete with an exclusive head-to-toe deal on all of her clothing, including her tennis shoes and Nike Zoom NXTs. Wilsonâ€™s current racket of choice is the Blade 98 18&#215;20. Whoop has been linked to the Belarusian tennis star since 2019. OAKBERRY, a quick-service superfood brand, has announced a two-year agreement with the former world number one, starting in January 2023. Sabalenka will collaborate with OAKBERRY to create a customized aÃ§aÃ­ bowl based on her â€œgo-toâ€ order. Her current four deals include Maestro Dobel Tequila, WHOOP, and Nike. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s career stats As Sabalenka defended her Australian Open title, stats showcase that her efforts resulted in more than just a Grand Slam triumph. With this title, the Belarusian beauty became the fifth woman to win a title without dropping a set. The current World Number 2 in WTA has an 86.9% win rate when it comes to services, while her return games won stands at 52.1%. Saving break points 63.9% of the time, Sabalenka is a resilient player, who does not let go of the match until the very last volley. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s records The 2024 Australian Open was her second Grand Slam win, and she has set her goals for more. In 2023, she won her first Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open, defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. She advanced to her second Major final at the US Open but lost to Coco Gauff. Tennis &#8211; Wimbledon &#8211; All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain &#8211; July 8, 2021 Belarus&#8217; Aryna Sabalenka is seen during a practice session before her semi final match against Czech Republic&#8217;s Karolina Pliskova Pool via REUTERS/David Gray She then became the WTA World No.1 for the first time in her career. In addition, won titles in Adelaide and Madrid. On the tour level, she won the Madrid Open and reached the final stages of all masters she played, barring the Italian and Canadian Open.Â  Read More &#8211; How Loud Is Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s Grunt? Controversial Flashback Proves How She Might Irk the Australian Open Fans Again The highlight of her 2022 season was the Runner-up finish at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, losing to Caroline Garcia. She overcame No.1Â Iga Swiatek, No.2 Jabeur, and No.3 Pegula en route to the final &#8211; becoming only the fourth woman in history to beat the No.1, No.2, and No.3 at the same tournament. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s major achievements and awards Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were named the International Tennis Federationâ€™s 2023 ITF World Champions after being the only singles players to reach at least the semifinals in all four Grand Slam events this season. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s charity and foundation Defending Australian Open champions Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka have been confirmed to perform in charity matches during Opening Week at the 2024 Australian Open. The eveningâ€™s purpose was altruistic, with ticket proceeds going to a variety of childrenâ€™s charities via the Australian Tennis Foundation. Tennis &#8211; Wimbledon &#8211; All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain &#8211; July 6, 2021 Belarus&#8217; Aryna Sabalenka reacts during her quarter final match against Tunisia&#8217;s Ons Jabeur REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In the following tournament, Sabalenka donated her signed towels to former player Jelena Dokic. She further will auction them off to a benefit that aims to tackle domestic violence and help its victims. Saba is known to be participating in the 51st Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation (GMMSF) Box Office Entertainment Awards and the 51st International Letter Writing Competition. She is also a patron of the Belarusian Tennis Federation and a supporter of the Belarusian Childrenâ€™s Fund. Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s house Sabalenka moved to Miami during her teenage years to learn tennis at a higher level. The Belarusian beauty managed to reach the stars and ended up buying her permanent residence in Miami.Â  Aryna Sabalenkaâ€™s social media accounts  Instagram sabalenka_aryna  Twitter Sabalenka Aryna  Facebook Aryna Sabalenka   &nbsp;  Full Name Aryna SiarhiejeÅ­na Sabalenka  Popular Name Aryna Sabalenka  Date Of Birth 5 May 1998  Birth Place Minsk, Belarus  Age 25  Height 6 ft 0  Weight 174.165  Parents Sergey Sabalenka, Yulia Sabalenka  Nationality Belarusian  Net Worth $20 MILLION  Relationship/Marital Status Konstantin Koltsov &#8211; Boyfriend  Children N/A  Profession Tennis Player  Team N/A  Rings N/A

Aryna Sabalenka Archives

Aryna Sabalenka Archives - EssentiallySports

The first Grand Slam of the year, Australian Open 2021, will begin on the hard courts of Melbourne. It will be the 109th edition of the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific.
<h2>Where will the Australian Open be held?</h2>
Known as the 'happy slam' the Australian Open 2021 will be held at the Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. It is played on cushion acrylic hard courts and is organized by Tennis Australia.

[caption id="attachment_456877" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-456877" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-506383362.jpg" alt="Australian Open 2021/tennis" width="1920" height="1280" /> A general view of Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park on in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)[/caption]
<h2>When will the Australian Open 2021 be held?</h2>
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Australian Open was delayed. It is yearly played during last weeks of January, but this year it will be held from the 8th of February to the 21st of February.
<h2>What is different at the Australian Open 2021?</h2>
The Australian Open 2021 is very different because of the coronavirus pandemic. The major change is in the qualifying rounds that will now be played outside Australia. The women's qualifying event will take place in Doha, Qatar whereas the men's qualifying event will take place in Dubai, UAE. The Junior Australian Open tournament has been postponed.

Coming to the spectators, the organizers of the Australian Open are confident of holding 50% of the spectator count of the Grand Slam. The 2020 Australian Open had a record spectator count of 812,000 people.

Prior to the Grand Slam, players will be quarantined under strict protocols for 14 days.
<h2>Australian Open 2021 defending champions</h2>
World No.1 Novak Djokovic is the defending champion in men's singles. He is the record holder for most Australian Open titles.

[caption id="attachment_430578" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-430578" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1203948447.jpg" alt="Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic" width="1920" height="1280" /> 2020 Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)[/caption]

American ace Sofia Kenin is the defending champion in women's singles. She won her first Grand Slam in Melbourne last year.

The duo of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are the defending men's doubles champions from 2020. And Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic are the defending women’s doubles champions.

Barbora Krejčíková and Nikola Mektić are the defending mixed doubles champions in the 2021 Australian Open.

[caption id="attachment_482816" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-482816" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1203337700.jpg" alt="Sofia Kenin - Australian Open" width="1920" height="1280" /> 2020 Australian Open women's singles champion Sofia Kenin. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)[/caption]
<h2>Australian Open 2021 Prize Money</h2>
Despite the coronavirus pandemic hiccup, the organizers have managed to carry forward the same prize money of $71.5 million from the 2020 edition.
<h2>Australian Open 2021 Schedule</h2>
The Australian Open 2021 will begin on 8th February. It will have both day and night sessions. The day sessions will begin at 11 am EST. And the night sessions begin on 7 pm EST.
<h2>Which channels are showing the Australian Open?</h2>
Africa: bein sports, Eurosport, SuperSport

Central Asia: Eurosport, Sony Six

Middle East: bein sports, Eurosport

Indian Subcontinent: Sony Six

China: CCTV, iQIYI, Guangdong TV, Great Sports Channel (Shanghai), Fox Sports.

Japan: NHK, WOWOW

Southeast Asia: Fox Sports

Australia: Nine

New Zealand: Sky

Europe (all territories): Eurosport,

Europe (local): SRG SSR, RTVS.SK, ServusTV

Latin America and Caribbean: ESPN International

Canada: TSN, RDS

USA: ESPN, Tennis Channel

Australian Open 2021

The first Grand Slam of the year, Australian Open 2021, will begin on the hard courts of Melbourne. It will be the 109th edition of the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific. Where will the Australian Open be held? Known as the &#8216;happy slam&#8217; the Australian Open 2021 will be held at the Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. It is played on cushion acrylic hard courts and is organized by Tennis Australia. A general view of Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park on in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images) When will the Australian Open 2021 be held? Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Australian Open was delayed. It is yearly played during last weeks of January, but this year it will be held from the 8th of February to the 21st of February. What is different at the Australian Open 2021? The Australian Open 2021 is very different because of the coronavirus pandemic. The major change is in the qualifying rounds that will now be played outside Australia. The women&#8217;s qualifying event will take place in Doha, Qatar whereas the men&#8217;s qualifying event will take place in Dubai, UAE. The Junior Australian Open tournament has been postponed. Coming to the spectators, the organizers of the Australian Open are confident of holding 50% of the spectator count of the Grand Slam. The 2020 Australian Open had a record spectator count of 812,000 people. Prior to the Grand Slam, players will be quarantined under strict protocols for 14 days. Australian Open 2021 defending champions World No.1 Novak Djokovic is the defending champion in men&#8217;s singles. He is the record holder for most Australian Open titles. 2020 Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images) American ace Sofia Kenin is the defending champion in women&#8217;s singles. She won her first Grand Slam in Melbourne last year. The duo of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are the defending men&#8217;s doubles champions from 2020. And Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic are the defending women’s doubles champions. Barbora Krejčíková and Nikola Mektić are the defending mixed doubles champions in the 2021 Australian Open. 2020 Australian Open women&#8217;s singles champion Sofia Kenin. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Australian Open 2021 Prize Money Despite the coronavirus pandemic hiccup, the organizers have managed to carry forward the same prize money of $71.5 million from the 2020 edition. Australian Open 2021 Schedule The Australian Open 2021 will begin on 8th February. It will have both day and night sessions. The day sessions will begin at 11 am EST. And the night sessions begin on 7 pm EST. Which channels are showing the Australian Open? Africa: bein sports, Eurosport, SuperSport Central Asia: Eurosport, Sony Six Middle East: bein sports, Eurosport Indian Subcontinent: Sony Six China: CCTV, iQIYI, Guangdong TV, Great Sports Channel (Shanghai), Fox Sports. Japan: NHK, WOWOW Southeast Asia: Fox Sports Australia: Nine New Zealand: Sky Europe (all territories): Eurosport, Europe (local): SRG SSR, RTVS.SK, ServusTV Latin America and Caribbean: ESPN International Canada: TSN, RDS USA: ESPN, Tennis Channel

WATCH: Serena Williams Wins Point With Insane Defensive Skills Against Aryna Sabalenka at Australian Open 2021

Serena Williams toils to win the point