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Australian Open history

Saturday 9 January 2016 13:03, UK

  1. Mary Pierce (L) and Martina Hingis at the 1997 Australian Open
    Image: Martina Hingis (R) reached six consecutive Australian Open finals from 1997-2002
  2. Australian tennis player James Anderson at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in 1925.
    Image: The tournament began in 1905 but was not given its major championship status until the 1924 event, which was won by James Anderson
  3. The American pair Don Budge (foreground) and Gene Mako in action at Wimbledon
    Image: Don Budge took the Australian Open title on his way to winning the Grand Slam in 1938
  4. Australian tennis player Margaret Court (nee Smith) in action during a match.
    Image: Australia's own Margaret Court won 11 singles titles, the record number for any player at one grand slam
  5. Rod Laver of Australia in action at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships of 1970
    Image: Australians dominated the tournament until the 1980s, with Rod Laver taking the title on three occasions
  6. Tennis player Evonne Goolagong
    Image: Evonne Goolagong was another home favourite who shone, winning the event four times
  7. Mats Wilander at the 1983 Australian Open
    Image: The 1980s saw more international stars, such as Mats Wilander, enter the event
  8. Boris Becker at the 1989 Australian Open
    Image: 1988 saw the tournament's surface shift from grass to the hard-courts of Melbourne Park
  9. Steffi Graf of Germany raises the trophy after winning the 1988 Australian Open
    Image: Steffi Graf started her Golden Slam year of 1988 by winning the women's title in Australia
  10. Monica Seles of Yugoslavia celebrates her triumph in the Australian Open
    Image: Monica Seles dominated the Australian Open in the early part of her career, winning the first four events she competed in
  11. Pete Sampras of the US cries during his Australian Open quarter-final match in 1995
    Image: Pete Sampras famously played through tears in his 1995 quarter-final match...
  12. A security guard removes people from the centre court, which flooded at the 1995 Australian Open
    Image: ...The same year saw a bizarre incident in which the main court flooded due to a blocked storm drain
  13. A general nightime view of the outside courts and the Rod Laver Arena at the Australian Open
    Image: Many of the event's most memorable moments have taken place under the lights in Melbourne
  14. Andre Agassi of the USA lifts the trophy up after the 2001 Australian Open
    Image: Andre Agassi won four Australian Open titles...
  15. Andre Agassi of the USA speaks during a press conference after withdrawing from the 2002 Australian Open
    Image: ...But he dramatically withdrew on the eve of the 2002 event
  16. Martina Hingisfeels the 47 degree court-side heat against Jennifer Capriati during the 2002 Australian Open final
    Image: The 2002 women's final between Hingis and Jennifer Capriati was played in temperatures above 45 degrees C
  17. Justine Henin-Hardenne is consoled by Amelie Mauresmo after the 2002 Australian Open final
    Image: Justine Henin caused a stir by retiring from the 2006 final against Amelie Mauresmo
  18. Roger Federer poses with the trophy after victory in the 2006 Australian Open
    Image: Roger Federer is a four-time champion at the event
  19. Serena Williams poses with the trophy after victory in the 2010 Australian Open
    Image: Serena Williams has taken the Australian Open crown five times
  20. Novak Djokovic celebrates his victory over Rafael Nadal in the men's final at the 2012 Australian Open
    Image: In 2012, Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in the longest grand slam final ever
  21. Bob and Mike Bryan celebrate winning a match at the 2013 Australian Open
    Image: Bob and Mike Bryan have won six titles together in Melbourne