Australian Open prize purse up to near $60m

The Australian Open prize fund has been raised by 13% to A$86.5 million ($59.04 million) for the 2024 edition with the greatest percentage increases going to those playing in earlier rounds and qualifiers.

The rise means the prize pot at the Melbourne Park Grand Slam has more than doubled over the last decade but the cash is now far more evenly distributed.

"We've upped prize money for every round at the Australian Open with the major increases in qualifying and the early rounds of singles and doubles," tournament director Craig Tiley said in a news release.

"We want to ensure Australia remains the launchpad for the global tennis season and the players and their teams have everything they need to help them perform at their best and continue to enjoy the Happy Slam."

The two singles champions will each pocket A$3.15 million, which is more than a million dollars less than Novak Djokovic and Sofia Kenin received for winning the titles at the last pre-COVID tournament in 2020.

First-round losers, however, will be rewarded for making the trip Down Under with a cheque for A$120,000, A$30,000 more than they would have received in 2020.

Players who play in the first round of qualifying in January will receive A$31,250 -- 20% more than they would have earned at this year's tournament.

The US Open was the richest of the Grand Slams this year with a prize fund of $65 million, while Wimbledon offered a total of 44.7 million pounds ($56.92 million) and the French Open 49.6 million euros ($54.89 million).

The Australian Open main draw action starts a day earlier than usual on January 14 next year with the men's singles final rounding out the tournament on January 28.

($1 = 1.4650 Australian dollars)

($1 = 0.7853 pounds)

($1 = 0.9036 euros)

World No 8 Muchova withdraws from Aus Open with wrist injury

Karolina Muchova has pulled out of next month's Australian Open with a niggling wrist injury that also ruled her out of the WTA Finals in October, the world number eight said.

The 27-year-old Czech enjoyed one of her best seasons this year and finished runner-up to the top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the French Open before a run to the US Open semi-finals in September, where she suffered the right wrist issue.

She was set to compete in the season-ending championships in Cancun for the first time before pulling out and being replaced by Maria Sakkari.

"This isn't my favourite thing to share especially at the start of a new season, but unfortunately the pain in the wrist came back in the middle of my preparation," former Melbourne Park semi-finalist Muchova said on Instagram on Thursday.

"I therefore have to postpone the start of the season and fully heal my wrist first. It's frustrating but I have to keep positive, recover and get ready for the rest of the year."

The Australian Open takes place from January 14-28.

Britain, Spain make winning starts at United Cup as new season begins

Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter handed Britain a 2-0 win over hosts Australia on the opening day of the United Cup mixed team tournament on Friday, as the new tennis season began after a short break with the focus on next month's Australian Open.

Spain beat Brazil 2-1 in a thrilling start to the revamped $10 million tournament that features 18 countries with ties also set to take place in Sydney with the final scheduled for Jan. 7.

World number ones Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek are among the big names who will be in action in the coming days as they warm up for the opening Grand Slam of the new year which will run from Jan. 14-28 in Melbourne.

Norrie overcame a dip midway through his Group C clash with Alex de Minaur to prevail 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(2) at the packed RAC Arena and snap his nine-match losing streak against opponents ranked inside the world's top 20.

De Minaur's British girlfriend Boulter then settled the tie with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the fit-again Ajla Tomljanovic, who missed the majority of last season due to a knee injury that required surgery.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and mixed doubles partner Sara Sorribes Tormo earlier beat the pair of Beatriz Haddad Maia and Marcelo Melo 6-4, 7-5 in the decider of the Group A tie between Spain and Brazil.

United Cup debutant Davidovich Fokina put Spain up 1-0 by defeating Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-4 6-0 in the first match of the 2024 season, dominating his opponent from the baseline and not facing a break point throughout the contest.

But Brazil hit back through world number 11 Haddad Maia, who downed Sorribes Tormo 7-6(1) 6-2 in a rematch of their marathon French Open fourth-round clash earlier this year.

"To come back and play with Sara, I think we had a great time on court and we enjoyed a lot," world number 26 Davidovich Fokina told reporters.

"We didn't care... obviously we care, but the result was like the last thing. We were enjoying out there, just to keep improving also."

The Czech Republic will meet China and Poland play Brazil in Perth on Saturday while the Netherlands take on Norway and Italy face Germany in Sydney.