Australian Tennis Open 2022: Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty Lifts title.

Why In News

• Rafael Nadal (Spain) win a titanic five-set duel with Daniil Medvedev and claim a record 21st Grand Slam men’s title in the Australian Open final.
• Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian to win her home Grand Slam Women’s title in 44 years, beat American Danielle Collins in straight sets.

Other Winners

• Men’s doubles – Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis
• Women’s doubles – Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova
• Mixed doubles – Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig

About Australian Open

• The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in  Melbourne, 
• The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon  and the  US Open 
• It features men’s and women’s singles; men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles; junior’s championships; and wheelchair, legends, and exhibition events.
• Before 1988, it was played on grass courts,  but since then three types of hard – court  surfaces have been used: green-coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007, blue Plexicushion  from 2008 to 2019, and blue Green Set since 2020.
• First held in 1905 as the Australasian championships, the Australian Open has grown to become one of the biggest sporting events in the Southern Hemisphere.