Big Tennis Tournaments

Tennis is a sport played between two players or in singles, or between two teams of players known as doubles. In this game, a player uses a racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with cloth or felt made of wool and fur into the opponent’s court. Originating in Birmingham, England in the late 19^th century, it has evolved into a modern game enjoyed by millions of people either as a recreational or spectator sport. It has become largely popular worldwide and as a main event in many major tournaments or championships such as the Australian Open, US Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open. A prize money of more than US$20 million is usually offered in any of these big or Grand Slam tournaments that have already produced world champions.

Australian Open. This tournament is conducted on hard court in Melbourne, Australia in January of each year. It is the only tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, the area between the South Pole and the equator. It uses two main courts for the competitions such as the Rod Laver Arena and the Hisense Arena which both have retractile roofs that can be shut during extreme heat or a heavy rain. Like any Grand Slam tournament, it has men’s and women’s competitions managed by Tennis Australia and now played at the Albert Reserve Tennis Center. Its current champions for the men’s and women’s singles are Serbian Novak Djokovic and Kim Clijsters, respectively. The champions for the men’s doubles are the brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, and Gisela Dulko and Flavia Penetta for the women’s doubles. For the mixed doubles, the champions are Daniel Nestor and Katarina Srebotnik, whose title is now her fifth in her career.

US Open. Conducted also on hard court, the US open is the modern version or repetition of one the world’s oldest tennis championships. It is also a Grand Slam tournament held for two weeks in late August to September in five different championship events for a total prize of US$21 million. Its current champions are Novak Djokovic and Samantha Stosur for the men’s and women’s singles, respectively and Jurgen Melza and Philipp Petzschner for the men’s doubles event. The women’s doubles champions are Liezel Huber and Liza Raymond, and Melanie Oudin for the mixed doubles category.

Wimbledon. This is the world’s oldest and prestigious tennis tournament held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club’s grass court in London, United Kingdom. Held for two weeks in late June to July of each year, it offers total prize money of US$23.8 million for the five championship events. Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova are its current champions for the men’s and women’s singles. The brothers Bob and Mike Bryan repeated their championship feat in the Australian Open’s doubles in the same manner as Katarina Srebotnik but with a different partner in Kveta Peschika in the women’s doubles.

French Open. This is held in late May to June with the French name Tournoi de Roland Garros at the clay court of the Stade Roland Garros. Considered as the world’s most physically demanding tennis championship, it has produced current champions in Rafael Nadal and Chinese Li Na for the men’s and women’s singles, and David Nestor and Max Mirnvi for the men’s doubles. The partnership of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Aradecka won for them the women’s doubles championship.