Australian Open 2024 has added an extra day. Here's why everyone's talking about it

Tennis has returned and we are just days away from the first Grand Slam of the season – the Australian Open. This Australian Open is particularly special, with some even calling it historic, as it will be a 15-day tournament rather than the usual 14 days, starting this Sunday (14 January).

The four Grand Slams have traditionally been played over 14 days, but the Australian Open has now joined the French Open in adding on an extra day at the start. This also means that the first round will be played over three days now instead of the previous two days.

The Australian Open tournament director was quoted as saying earlier, “We’ve listened to feedback from the players and fans and are excited to deliver a solution to minimise late finishes while continuing to provide a fair and equitable schedule on the stadium courts.”

But why has the Grand Slam down under extended playing days? Will this hurt or help players? We get you the full analysis and tell you if this counts as a fault or an ace.

A longer Australian Open

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, usually begins on a Monday. However, last October, the organisers of the tournament announced that it would run a day longer in an attempt to combat late finishes, owing to many matches being scheduled on the first day.

Hits like a Melbourne summer