Djokovic’s return: Australian Open players are 'not so happy'
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Amidst the Novak Djokovic related drama, the controversy, the will he or won’t he saga that continues to plague his potential involvement in the Australian Open, it’s important to remember a tennis tournament will soon take place in Melbourne. On Monday, January 17, the first Grand Slam of 2022 is set to get underway – with or without its reigning male champion and no 1 seed.
Swiss legend Roger Federer will definitely be missing as he continues his rehabilitation from knee surgery, but Rafael Nadal has made it to Melbourne after recovering from Covid-19.
And unlike Djokovic, there is a world no 1 certain to take part with home favourite Ashleigh Barty – who won Wimbledon in 2021 – underlining her title credentials by winning the Adelaide International 1 warm-up event in Adelaide last week.
Defending champion Naomi Osaka will also take part, having returned from the indefinite break from tennis she took in September, citing mental health reasons.
British interest will of course centre around teenage sensation Emma Raducanu, playing in her first Grand Slam event since her sensational win at last year’s US Open. Things haven’t been simple for Raducanu on or off the court since Flushing Meadows, but she will attract much media attention – not to mention crowd support.
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At 34, Andy Murray will continue to defy recent injury problems to play in the Rod Laver Arena, a venue where he has participated in five finals without capturing the trophy his career surely merits.
Fellow Brit Cameron Norrie is also set to compete down under after he capped a breakthough 2021 season by winning his second ATP tour title at the Indian Wells Masters.
There will be plenty more star names on offer with the draw for the tournament set to take place on Thursday, January 13 at 4am GMT. However, it is not clear if this will be streamed. Here’s a lowdown on how to follow the action in Australia once the Open gets underway:
When is the Australian Open? The tournament starts on Monday, January 17 and will conclude on Sunday, January 30 when the men’s final takes place.
Can I watch the Australian Open? In a word yes, just not necessarily for free. The tournament will be shown live on EuroSport. Eurosport 1 is available on Sky Channel 410, BT 435 and Virgin 521 while Eurosport 2 is available on Sky Channel 411, BT 436 and Virgin 522.
For those without the required subscriptions, a monthly pass is available for £6.99.
Furthermore, there is an annual pass which costs £4.99 per month for a year-long period. The passes include live coverage, being able to watch on multiple devices, various camera views and on demand clips and videos.
How can I live stream the Australian Open? The same Eurosport monthly pass, at £6.99, will allow you to stream the action as it happens.
Are there highlights available for the Australian Open? Eurosport and BBC Sport will be showing highlights of the Australian Open – and video clips on their social media platforms.
What time will Australian Open matches take place? The daytime sessions will begin from midnight UK time, while the evening sessions under lights will start from 8am.
The action will run up until around midday, or even later if we have any five-set marathons.
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