Australian Open 2024 Day 1: Full schedule, order of play and how to watch Djokovic and Sabalenka in action?

Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka, the defending men’s and women’s singles champions, will be in action at Melbourne Park on the opening day as the 2024 Australian Open is all set to kick off on Sunday. Djokovic will begin his campaign against Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, who made it to the main draw through the qualifiers, as the Serb hunts for an unprecedented 11th Australian Open title and a history-scripting 25th major overall. Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed in the women’s singles draw, will be playing against Ella Seidel in her opening match at the Rod Laver Arena.

Other players who will add to the star-studded line-up for Day 1 in Melbourne are Jannik Sinner, Andrey Rublev, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sakkari.

Top men’s singles match to watch out for on Day 1 of the 2024 Australian Open: Novak Djokovic vs Dino Prizmic

There were concerns about his wrist injury heading into the tournament after he sought medical attention a few times during the United Cup campaign last week, but Djokovic, on the eve of the opening day in Melbourne, admitted that he is “pain-free”.

The 36-year-old, who lifted his maiden trophy in the Australian Open back in 2008 after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets in the final, will be aiming for his 90th match win in the tournament. It will subsequently make him the only player to have 90 or more wins at three different Slams. He won 92 matches each at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.

Top women’s singles match to watch out for on the Australian Open 2024 Day 1: Caroline Wozniacki vs Magda Linette

Although Sabalenka plays on Day 1 in Melbourne, the talking point around the WTA schedule will be the return of former Australian Open champion Wozniacki, who will play her first match in his Slam since 2020. Since returning to the tour last year, the 2018 Australian Open winner has not made it past the round of 16. She will be up against Linette, who made the semis last year at Melbourne Park, before losing to Sabalenka in straight sets.

Australian Open 2024 Day 1 Order of Play:

* Day session: From 5:30 am IST

* Night session: From 1:30 pm IST

ROD LAVER ARENA

4-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Botic van de Zandschulp (Netherlands)

8-Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Nao Hibino (Japan)

Night session

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v Dino Prizmic (Croatia)

Ella Seidel (Germany) v 2-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

Mai Hontama (Japan) v 9-Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic)

Thiago Seyboth Wild (Brazil) v 5-Andrey Rublev (Russia)

Night session

20-Magda Linette (Poland) v Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

17-Frances Tiafoe (U.S.) v Borna Coric (Croatia)

JOHN CAIN ARENA

32-Leylah Fernandez (Canada) v Sara Bejlek (Czech Republic)

Dane Sweeny (Australia) v 22-Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina)

12-Taylor Fritz (U.S.) v Facundo Diaz Acosta (Argentina)