The Australian open tennis is one of the most challenging of all the Grand Slam tournaments due to the often extreme hot weather that often descends on Melbourne each January when the tournament is played. Being the first Grand Slam Tennis Tournament on the international tennis calendar the tournament attracts most of the big name players on the international circuit regardless of the heat. The temperature can easily reach, and often exceed, 40 degrees Celsius. Management of the Australian Open Tennis tournament have included various ‘heat clauses’ in the tournament rules as well as installing a retractable roof over the main court that can be closed if the heat becomes to extreme or rain threatens play. The main stadium for the Australian Open is Rod Laver Arena, named after the only person, and an Australian, to have twice won all four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments in one year. The Australian Tennis Open is held in January each year at the Melbourne Tennis Stadium. Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena are the two main courts with other matches played on the outer courts. The other international grand slam tennis tournaments are: the French Open played in Paris, Wimbledon in London and the US Open played in New York.

As would be expected during a tournament at this level, competition during the Australian Tennis Open is extreme and the atmosphere on court and within the stadium is electric. The tournament runs for two weeks. The women’s finals are played on the final Saturday in the second week and the men’s final is played on the Sunday of the second week. Men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and juniors are played with as much competition as the head line matches. Matches are broadcast around the world by various networks and watched by many millions of viewers all looking for a glimpse of their favourite male and female tennis players competing in the Australian Tennis Open.

Attracting visitors and tennis lovers from all over Australia and from around the world to Melbourne each January, the Australian Tennis Open is the main international tourism event and attraction in Australia during this period. The two weeks of the tennis open is full of entertainment in and around the Melbourne Park complex with roving entertainers, concerts, markets and food all making this one of the great sporting events on the Melbourne international calendar.

Tickets for the Australian open tennis are release many months in advance with the main court tickets usually being sold out early. Tickets for previous years such as 2009 ranged between $19 and $174. In additional to the entrance tickets for the Australian Open, visitors could also purchase tickets for the various concerts and shows that formed a part of the overall spectacle of the Australian Open. Regular players at the tournament include some of the big names on the tennis tour players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, the Williams sisters, and other many other great names on the current world tennis circuit.

Australian Tennis Open 2010 is planned to be held between January 18 and January 31 at Melbourne Park in Melbourne Australia. The total seating capacity of the venues is around 15,000. The major matches will be conducted in Rod Laver Arena and the ticket prices are expected to vary between $60 and $130 for each session. However, for the matches conducted in Hisense Arena, separate tickets have to be purchased, which is $65 for every session. The tickets for quarter finals will be $140, for semi-finals $210 and for the men’s and women’s finals, they are $610 each. These are minimum charges for the tickets for Australian Tennis Open 2010.

Learn more about the Australian Tennis Open 2010. Stop by Jasmine Zahara’s site where you can find out all about the Australian Tennis Open and where to stay in Melbourne.