5 unique facts about the Australian Open final
The first Grand Slam tournament on the tennis calendar was the last to open its doors to professionals when it did so in 1969.
Since that inaugural edition won by Rod Laver, 25 other players have lifted the Australian Open title. Novak Djokovic (7) and Roger Federer (6) lead a group of 12 players to have won multiple titles at the first Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season.
Only two players have won the Australian Open title in the Open Era without dropping a set - Ken Rosewall in 1971 and Roger Federer in 2007. Federer was two sets away from accomplishing the feat for a second time in 2018 when he led Marin Cilic by a set before triumphing in 5 sets.
In the Open Era, Dominic Thiem is the 53rd different player to play the title match of the Australian Open. Of the 52 other players to have reached the final at the tournament during this period, Novak Djokovic (7), Andre Agassi (4), Johan Kriek (2), Boris Becker (2), and Jim Courier (2) are the only players never to have lost an Australian Open final.
Andy Murray (5), Steve Denton (2), and Pat Cash (2) are the only players in the Open Era to have played multiple finals at the Australian Open without winning the title. On that note, let us have a look at 5 unique facts about the Australian Open final:
#1: The joint fewest number of different players to have reached the final
52 different players have reached the Australian Open final in the Open Era. The corresponding numbers for the three other Grand Slam tournaments are 66 (Roland Garros), 59 (US Open) and 53 (Wimbledon).
With Dominic Thiem reaching the 2020 Australian Open final, the first Grand Slam tournament on the tennis calendar now has the joint fewest number of different players to have reached the men's singles title match, along with Wimbledon.
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