An exciting lineup of exhibition matches as part of the 2024 Australian Open opening week has been announced.
The official start of the first Grand Slam of the year is now less than two weeks away. Emma Raducanu entering the main draw for the Australian Open is a recent story surrounding the event.
However, the action for the fans to enjoy does not start on January 14th when the main draw matches begin. Spectators are also able to savor a range of exhibitions that take place in the days before.
These matches are for charity, and they have been very successful in the past. Many of the biggest players in the sport have played in them. This year's exhibition lineup is no different, with some huge names featured.
January 9th sees Naomi Osaka face a currently unnamed opponent. She is a two-time champion in Melbourne and recently made a return to tennis after being away on maternity leave, with Osaka narrowly losing her most recent match against Karolina Pliskova.
Carlos Alcaraz will play Alex de Minaur on January 10th. This should be a great match, with Alcaraz one of the leading players in the sport, while de Minaur defeated an admittedly injured Novak Djokovic in his last match at the United Cup.
There are two matches on January 11th. The first is a repeat of last year's final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, Djokovic's wrist issue he sustained at the United Cup means it is not certain if he will play that match.
The other match on January 11th involves the other singles defending champion. Aryna Sabalenka is set to play the former French Open semifinalist Maria Sakkari in front of the Melbourne fans.
The exhibitions are completed by the spectators getting to see Carlos Alcaraz for a second time. He will play Casper Ruud, in a repeat of the 2022 US Open final.
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