2013 Australian Open
The 2013 Australian Open was the 101st edition of the Australian Open tennis tournament and the first Grand Slam event of the year, held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, from 14 to 27 January 2013.[1][2] In the men's singles, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic successfully defended his title by defeating Andy Murray in the final, 6–7(2), 7–6(3), 6–3, 6–2, securing his fourth Australian Open singles championship and third consecutive victory at the event.[3] In the women's singles, top seed Victoria Azarenka claimed her second consecutive Australian Open title with a 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 win over Li Na in the final, marking her second Grand Slam singles crown overall.[4] The tournament featured all top seeds prevailing in the main draw finals across singles and same-sex doubles categories, with the Bryan brothers—Bob and Mike—winning the men's doubles title for a record-extending 13th Grand Slam men's doubles crown by beating Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling, 6–3, 6–4.[5] Similarly, top-seeded Italian pair Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci captured the women's doubles championship, overcoming Australian wild cards Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua, 6–2, 3–6, 6–2, in a match that highlighted strong home support despite the defeat.[6] In mixed doubles, Australians Matthew Ebden and Jarmila Gajdošová triumphed 6–3, 7–5 over František Čermák and Lucie Hradecká, providing a local highlight in the event.[7] Notable moments included Djokovic's resilience in a marathon final against Murray, who was competing in his first Grand Slam final since winning the US Open in 2012, and Azarenka's title run, which included a controversial medical timeout in her semi-final victory over Sloane Stephens for a rib injury and anxiety.[3][8] The tournament also showcased emerging talents, such as Australian junior Nick Kyrgios winning the boys' singles title over compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis, 7–6(4), 6–3, foreshadowing their future prominence in professional tennis.[9] Overall, the 2013 edition underscored the dominance of established stars while generating significant global viewership as the opening major of the ATP and WTA seasons.[10]Background
Dates and location
The 2013 Australian Open took place from 14 to 27 January 2013, marking the opening Grand Slam tournament of the tennis calendar year.[11] This two-week event featured the main draw competitions across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles categories for both professional men's and women's tours.[12] Hosted at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the tournament utilized the venue's premier facilities, including the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena as the primary show court for major matches, the 10,000-capacity Hisense Arena for secondary sessions, and numerous outside courts for early-round play.[3] Melbourne Park had served as the official home of the Australian Open since 1988, providing a modern hard-court setup amid the city's urban landscape.[4] As the 101st edition of the Australian Open, the event highlighted its long-standing tradition dating back to 1905, while integrating seamlessly as the season's inaugural major on both the ATP World Tour and WTA Tour schedules.[13]Surface, balls, and categories
The 2013 Australian Open was played on outdoor hard courts featuring the Plexicushion surface, a cushioned acrylic composition designed for medium-paced play and consistent ball bounce.[14] This surface, introduced at the tournament in 2008, provided a balance of speed and durability suited to the Melbourne climate, with its blue coloring enhancing visibility under lights.[15] The official tennis balls used throughout the event were Wilson Australian Open balls, engineered for optimal performance on hard courts with features like enhanced durability and consistent feel in all-court conditions.[16] Approximately 45,000 of these balls were utilized across all matches, reflecting the tournament's scale and the need for frequent changes to maintain quality.[17] The tournament encompassed a wide range of categories to accommodate diverse competitors. Professional events included men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, with men's singles matches played as best-of-five sets and all other events as best-of-three sets.[1] Junior competitions featured boys' and girls' singles and doubles for players aged 18 and under, held concurrently on dedicated courts.[18] Wheelchair tennis offered singles and doubles for men and women, along with quad singles and doubles for players with impairments affecting all four limbs, integrating fully into the Grand Slam schedule.[19][20]Points and prize money
Ranking points
The 2013 Australian Open awarded ranking points to players based on their performance in various categories, serving as a key incentive for participation and progression in the ATP, WTA, and ITF ranking systems. These points contributed to players' overall standings, with Grand Slam events offering the highest allocations among tournament categories. The distribution for singles and doubles was identical, reflecting the equal prestige of these events in the professional tour structure.[21] For ATP and WTA singles and doubles, points were distributed as follows across rounds:| Round | Points |
|---|---|
| Winner | 2000 |
| Finalist | 1200 |
| Semi-finalist | 720 |
| Quarter-finalist | 360 |
| Round of 16 | 180 |
| Round of 32 | 90 |
| Round of 64 | 45 |
| First round | 10 |
| Round | Points |
|---|---|
| Winner | 1000 |
| Finalist | 600 |
| Semi-finalist | 400 |
| Quarter-finalist | 300 |
| Round of 16 | 200 |
| Round | Points |
|---|---|
| Winner | 800 |
| Finalist | 500 |
| Semi-finalist | 320 |
| Quarter-finalist | 200 |