2011 Australian Open facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 2011 Australian Open |
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| Date: | 17 – 30 January | |||
| Edition: | 99th | |||
| Category: | Grand Slam (ITF) | |||
| Location: | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |||
| Champions | ||||
| Men's Singles | ||||
 Novak Djokovic |
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| Women's Singles | ||||
 Kim Clijsters |
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| Men's Doubles | ||||
 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan |
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| Women's Doubles | ||||
 Gisela Dulko /  Flavia Pennetta |
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| Mixed Doubles | ||||
 Katarina Srebotnik /  Daniel Nestor |
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| Boys' Singles | ||||
 Jiří Veselý |
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| Girls' Singles | ||||
| An-Sophie Mestach |
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| Boys' Doubles | ||||
 Filip Horanský / Jiří Veselý |
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| Girls' Doubles | ||||
An-Sophie Mestach /  Demi Schuurs |
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| Wheelchair Men's Singles | ||||
 Shingo Kunieda |
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| Wheelchair Women's Singles | ||||
| Esther Vergeer |
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| Wheelchair Quad Singles | ||||
| David Wagner |
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| Wheelchair Men's Doubles | ||||
| Maikel Scheffers / Shingo Kunieda |
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| Wheelchair Women's Doubles | ||||
| Esther Vergeer / Sharon Walraven |
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| Wheelchair Quad Doubles | ||||
 Andrew Lapthorne / Peter Norfolk |
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Australian Open
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The 2011 Australian Open was a big tennis tournament with six different types of competitions. It was the 99th time this event was held. It was also the first Grand Slam tournament of 2011. A Grand Slam is one of the four most important tennis events each year.
The tournament took place in Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. It ran from January 17 to January 30. All the matches were played on hard courts. The International Tennis Federation and Tennis Australia helped organize the event.
Novak Djokovic from Serbia won the men's singles title for the second time. Kim Clijsters from Belgium won her first Australian Open women's singles title. In men's doubles, the Bryan Brothers from the USA won their fifth Australian Open. Gisela Dulko (Argentina) and Flavia Pennetta (Italy) won their first Grand Slam title in women's doubles. Daniel Nestor (Canada) and Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) won the mixed doubles.
In the junior tournaments, Jiří Veselý (Czech Republic) and An-Sophie Mestach (Belgium) won both the singles and doubles titles. Veselý won the boys' doubles with Filip Horanský (Slovakia). Mestach won the girls' doubles with Demi Schuurs (Netherlands).
Shingo Kunieda (Japan) and Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) won both the singles and doubles in the wheelchair tennis events. Kunieda won his fifth Australian Open title. Vergeer won her eighth Australian Open title and her 17th Grand Slam overall. She also won her 404th match in a row!
Contents
About the 2011 Australian Open
The 2011 Australian Open was the 99th time this famous tennis event was held. It took place at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) organized this tournament. It was a part of the 2011 ATP World Tour for men and the 2011 WTA Tour for women.
The tournament had many different competitions. There were singles and doubles matches for men and women. There was also a mixed doubles event. Younger players (under 18) competed in junior singles and doubles. There were also events for wheelchair tennis players. All matches were played on hard courts. The main courts used were the Rod Laver Arena, Hisense Arena, and Margaret Court Arena.
Prize Money for Winners
The 2011 Australian Open offered a lot of prize money. The total prize money was A$25 million (about US$24 million). This was a bit more than in 2010. The winners of the singles titles took home A$2.2 million (about US$2.1 million). The players who came in second received A$1.1 million (about US$1 million).
Here's a quick look at some of the prize money for the main professional events:
Singles Prize Money
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Doubles Prize Money (per team)
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Mixed Doubles Prize Money (per team)
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Who Won the Main Events?
There were five main competitions for professional tennis players. The singles events had 128 players. The doubles events had 64 teams. The mixed doubles had 32 teams.
Men's Singles Champion
At the start of the 2011 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal was the world's number one player. He had a chance to make history by holding all four Grand Slam titles at the same time. This was called the "Rafa Slam."
Nadal was the top seed. Other top players included Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Robin Söderling, and Andy Murray.
Many top players made it through the early rounds. However, some upsets happened. Milos Raonic beat Michaël Llodra and then Mikhail Youzhny. Alexandr Dolgopolov also surprised many by beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Robin Söderling.
The biggest surprise came when Rafael Nadal lost in the quarterfinals to David Ferrer. This ended his "Rafa Slam" dream. In the semifinals, Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer. Andy Murray won against David Ferrer.
In the final match, Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray to win his second Australian Open title.
Championship match result: Novak Djokovic def. Andy Murray, 6–4, 6–2, 6–3.
Women's Singles Champion
The defending champion, Serena Williams, could not play in 2011 due to an injury. Caroline Wozniacki was the world's number one player and the top seed. Other strong players included Vera Zvonareva, Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams, and Samantha Stosur. Former Grand Slam winners like Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova also played.
Some big upsets happened early on. Ana Ivanović lost in the first round. Jelena Janković lost in the second round. Justine Henin played her last match in the third round, losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova.
A record-breaking match happened in the fourth round. Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova played for 4 hours and 44 minutes. This was the longest women's Grand Slam match ever! Schiavone finally won 16–14 in the final set.
In the semifinals, Li Na caused a big upset by beating the world number one, Caroline Wozniacki. Kim Clijsters won her semifinal match against Vera Zvonareva.
In the final, Kim Clijsters came back from losing the first set to win her first Australian Open title. This was her fourth Grand Slam title overall.
"I finally feel like you guys can call me Aussie Kim, because I've won the title"
Championship match result: Kim Clijsters def. 
Li Na, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3.
Men's Doubles Champions
The Bryan Brothers, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, were the top seeds. They had won this event four times before, including the last two years. Many seeded teams lost early in the tournament.
Only three seeded teams made it to the semifinals. The Bryan Brothers reached the final, where they faced Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes from India. The Indian team had never won the Australian Open men's doubles title.
The Bryan Brothers won the final, making it their fifth Australian Open men's doubles title. This was also their third win in a row at the event. It was their tenth Grand Slam men's doubles title overall.
Championship match result: Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan def. 
Mahesh Bhupathi / Leander Paes, 6–3, 6–4.
Women's Doubles Champions
The women's doubles competition was exciting because no team had won a Grand Slam before. Gisela Dulko (Argentina) and Flavia Pennetta (Italy) were the top seeds. They had won many titles in 2010 but had never reached a Grand Slam final.
Most seeded teams made it through the first round. However, the fourth seeds, Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez, lost in the second round.
In the semifinals, Dulko and Pennetta reached the final. They faced Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko. In the final, Dulko and Pennetta came back after losing the first set to win their first Grand Slam title.
Championship match result: Gisela Dulko / Flavia Pennetta def. 
Victoria Azarenka / 
Maria Kirilenko, 2–6, 7–5, 6–1.
Mixed Doubles Champions
The top seeds for mixed doubles were Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber. Other strong teams included Daniel Nestor and Katarina Srebotnik, and the defending champions Leander Paes and Cara Black.
Many seeded teams lost early. The top seeds Bryan and Huber had to withdraw. The defending champions Paes and Black also lost in the second round.
In the semifinals, Daniel Nestor and Katarina Srebotnik won their match. They faced Chan Yung-jan and Paul Hanley in the final. Nestor and Srebotnik won the final in a special tiebreak set. This was Nestor's second Australian Open mixed doubles title and Srebotnik's first.
Championship match result: Katarina Srebotnik / Daniel Nestor def. 
Chan Yung-jan / 
Paul Hanley, 6–3, 3–6, 10–7.
Junior Champions
Sixty-four players competed in the boys' and girls' singles events. Thirty-two teams played in the doubles events. These junior competitions are very important for young tennis players.
Boys' Singles Champion
The world's number one junior player, Jiří Veselý, was the top seed. Other top players included Dominic Thiem and George Morgan.
Some seeded players lost early. Luke Saville caused a big upset by beating the number two player, Dominic Thiem.
In the semifinals, Veselý and Saville both won their matches to reach the final. In the final, Jiří Veselý won his first junior Grand Slam title. He lost only three games against home favorite Saville.
Championship match result: Jiří Veselý def. Luke Saville, 6–0, 6–3.
Girls' Singles Champion
The world's number one junior girl, Daria Gavrilova, was the top seed. Other strong players included An-Sophie Mestach and Mónica Puig.
A big surprise happened in the first round when 15-year-old Kanami Tsuji beat top seed Gavrilova. Eugénie Bouchard also caused an upset by beating Lauren Davis in the third round.
In the semifinals, An-Sophie Mestach won her match. Mónica Puig also won her semifinal. In the final, Mestach defeated Puig to win her first junior Grand Slam title.
Championship match result: An-Sophie Mestach def. 
Mónica Puig, 6–4, 6–2.
Boys' Doubles Champions
Some seeded teams lost early in the boys' doubles. The top seeds, George Morgan and Mate Pavić, lost in the quarterfinals.
Filip Horanský and Jiří Veselý reached the final. They faced Ben Wagland and Andrew Whittington from Australia. Horanský and Veselý won the final in straight sets.
Championship match result: Filip Horanský / Jiří Veselý def. Ben Wagland / Andrew Whittington, 6–4, 6–4.
Girls' Doubles Champions
Several seeded teams, including the second seeds Eugénie Bouchard and Mónica Puig, lost in the second round.
An-Sophie Mestach and Demi Schuurs had a strong tournament. They beat the top seeds Irina Khromacheva and Yulia Putintseva in the quarterfinals.
Mestach and Schuurs reached the final, where they played against Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato. In the final, Mestach and Schuurs won in straight sets to claim their first Grand Slam doubles title.
Championship match result: An-Sophie Mestach / Demi Schuurs def. Eri Hozumi / Miyu Kato, 6–2, 6–3.
Wheelchair Tennis Champions
There were six events for wheelchair tennis players. These matches took place from January 26 to 29.
Wheelchair Men's Singles Champion
The world's number one player, Shingo Kunieda, easily won his first match. He went on to play Stéphane Houdet in the final.
Kunieda defeated Houdet to win his twelfth Grand Slam title. This was his fourth Australian Open win in a row.
Championship match result: Shingo Kunieda def. 
Stéphane Houdet, 6–0, 6–3.
Wheelchair Women's Singles Champion
There were eight players in this competition. The world's number one, Esther Vergeer, won her first match without losing a single game. This was her 402nd win in a row!
Vergeer and Daniela di Toro reached the final. In the final, Vergeer won her eighth Australian Open title. She defeated di Toro without losing a game, marking her 404th consecutive win.
Championship match result: Esther Vergeer def. Daniela di Toro, 6–0, 6–0.
Wheelchair Quad Singles Champion
This tournament was played in a round-robin style, where everyone played each other. Peter Norfolk, the defending champion, won his first match. The world's number one, David Wagner, also won his first match.
Wagner then beat Norfolk in a close match. This meant Wagner would play Norfolk again in the final. In the final, Wagner defeated Norfolk to win his first Australian Open singles title.
Championship match result: David Wagner def. Peter Norfolk, 6–2, 6–3.
Wheelchair Men's Doubles Champions
Four teams competed in this event. Shingo Kunieda and Maikel Scheffers reached the final. They played against the French team of Stéphane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer.
Kunieda and Scheffers won the final in straight sets.
Championship match result: Shingo Kunieda / Maikel Scheffers def. Stéphane Houdet / Nicolas Peifer, 6–3, 6–3.
Wheelchair Women's Doubles Champions
Four teams also competed in this event. Esther Vergeer and Sharon Walraven reached the final. They faced fellow Dutch players Aniek van Koot and Jiske Griffioen.
In the final, Vergeer and Walraven won easily, losing only two games. This was their third Grand Slam doubles title in a row.
Championship match result: Esther Vergeer / Sharon Walraven def. Jiske Griffioen / Aniek van Koot, 6–0, 6–2.
Wheelchair Quad Doubles Champions
Only two teams played in the Quad doubles, so they went straight to the final. History was made when Andrew Lapthorne and Peter Norfolk became the first all-British pair to win a wheelchair Grand Slam doubles title.
They defeated the American team of Nicholas Taylor and David Wagner in straight sets. This was Lapthorne's first Grand Slam title and Norfolk's first Grand Slam doubles title.
Championship match result: Andrew Lapthorne / Peter Norfolk def. Nicholas Taylor / David Wagner, 6–3, 6–3.
How Many People Watched?
TV and Online Broadcasts
The 2011 Australian Open was shown on TV all around the world. Eleven different TV channels officially broadcast the event. For example, Channel 7 showed it in Australia, and Eurosport covered it in Europe.
For the first time ever, the qualifying matches (where players try to earn a spot in the main tournament) were streamed live online. A special charity event called "Rally for Relief" was also shown live online and on Australian TV.
Even though many people watched, the viewing numbers in Australia were a bit lower than in 2010.
Visitors to the Event
Before the tournament started, there was a "Kids Tennis Day" event. About 8,000 people came to this fun day. Kids could watch players, see how rackets are strung, and do arts and crafts.
A total of 651,127 people visited the tournament over the two weeks. This was a little less than in 2010. However, some daily attendance records were broken. On one Saturday, 51,276 people came during the day, which was a new record for a day session. With the evening session, a total of 77,121 people visited that day, which was the largest crowd ever for one day at the Australian Open.
Images for kids
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Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for the second time.
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Jiri Veselý won both the singles and the doubles titles.
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Filip Horansky won his first Junior Grand Slam title.
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Scheffers won the doubles with Kunieda.
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Sharon Walraven won the doubles with Vergeer.
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Rafael Nadal was the number one seed in the Men's Singles. He had an opportunity to complete all four Grand Slams at once, but lost to David Ferrer in the quarterfinals.
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Caroline Wozniacki was the number one seed in the Women's Singles. She lost to eventual runner-up Li Na in the semifinals.
See also
In Spanish: Abierto de Australia 2011 para niños
