Australian Open: Who was the last Australian to win the tournament on home soil?

Ashleigh Barty (L) & Nick Kyrgios are both in contention for Australian Open titles this year

It is safe to say that Ashleigh Barty has been the biggest draw at the 2022 Australian Open. TV ratings have confirmed this fact, with her fourth-round match against Amanda Anisimova breaking all past viewership records at the tournament.

All five of Barty's matches so far have been allotted the day's prime-time slot in front of a packed Rod Laver Arena, upstaging even 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal. The simple truth is that Aussies are desperate to watch one of their own win the 'Happy Slam'.

THE MOMENT!

Ash Barty has become the first Aussie to make the semi-finals of the Australian Open twice since the tournament moved to Melbourne Park!

#AusOpen - Live on Channel 9 and 9Now https://t.co/AVfP6ehkSY

Before Barty, the last instance of an Australian winning the women's singles title came 44 years ago, in 1978. Chris O'Neil became the first unseeded woman to win the Melbourne Major in the Open Era when she defeated Betsy Nagelsen 6-3, 7-6(3).

On this Day: 1979. Chris O’Neil wins the 1978 Australian Open over Betsy Nagelsen for her only career title. At world No.111, O’Neil is the lowest-ranked woman to win a Grand Slam title and the last local to win the Aussie Open. #50YearsOpen #AusOpen https://t.co/zYx7X3ITAZ

It took another 29 years for O'Neal's feat to be matched, when former World No. 1 Serena Williams won the 2007 edition. O'Neil could not repeat her success at any of the other Slams, with her best finish outside of Australia being a third-round appearance at the 1974 Wimbledon Championships.

Since then, only one Australian woman has reached the final at the event -- Wendy Turnbull, who suffered a straight-sets defeat against Hanna Mandlikova in 1980.

Who are the most recent Australians to have won the Australian Open in other categories?

Dylan Alcott has won 11 titles at this tournament.

Mark Edmondson's only Grand Slam came at the 1976 Australian Open, when he defeated compatriot John Newcombe 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 in the men's singles final. Edmondson was the World No. 212 at the time, making him the lowest-ranked player to win a Major since the introduction of the rankings in 1973.

One of the great tennis upsets happened at the 1976 Australian Open when world No.212 Mark Edmondson beat defending champion John Newcombe 6-7 6-3 7-6 6-1 in the all-Australian final. He remains the lowest ranked player to win a Grand Slam singles title https://t.co/NvD7o8gY9m

Barring the first round, Edmondson defeated a seeded player in every round, including No. 1 seed Ken Rosewall in the semifinals in four sets. His final opponent, Newcombe, was the second seed.

John Peers teamed up with Finland's Henri Kontinen to win the 2017 Australian Open men's doubles, defeating the Bryan brothers 7-5, 7-5 in the final. It was the pair's maiden Grand Slam title, and their only one till date.

With unseeded local teams of Nick Kyrgios/Thanasi Kokkinakis and Matthew Ebden/Max Purcell setting up the men's doubles final this year, Australia is guaranteed to have winners in this category.

Samantha Stosur won the 2019 Australian Open women's doubles alongside China's Shuai Zhang, defeating defending champions Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-4 in the final. Barty herself reached the final of the event in 2013 alongside compatriot Casey Dellacqua, but fell to top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in the final.

Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden are the most recent Australians to triumph in mixed doubles. The Aussie pair beat Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the 2013 Australian Open to lift their maiden mixed doubles Grand Slam.

🏆 2015
🏆 2016
🏆 2017
🏆 2018
🏆 2019
🏆 2020
🏆 2021

Make that 7️⃣ (YES, seven) consecutive Australian Open Quad #WheelchairTennis singles titles for @DylanAlcott!

#AusOpen | 🎥 @AustralianOpen
https://t.co/mDvMy1u0ER

Aussie Dylan Alcott has been very successful at his home Slam, having triumphed seven times in the wheelchair quad singles and four times in the wheelchair quad doubles categories.