The Australian Open has produced some of the game's most unforgettable chapters.
And as the 2026 event unfolds, we spotlight 10 of the tournament's Open-era records that stand alone, allowing each of the players in focus to own a slice of AO history.
1. Monica Seles
First 33 AO matches won
Monica Seles arrived at the Australian Open in 1991 as a 17-year-old and won her second Grand Slam, defeating Jana Novotna in the final. She defended her title in 1992, beating Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 6-2 6-2 in the semifinals and Mary Joe Fernandez 6-2 6-3 in the final.
In 1993, world No.1 Seles completed a perfect three-from-three in Melbourne over Steffi Graf. After a stabbing on court later that year led to a two-year hiatus, Seles returned in 1996 to win again, extending her AO streak to 33 matches before Martina Hingis stopped her in the 1999 semifinals.
2. Novak Djokovic
33-match unbeaten streak at Rod Laver Arena
After equalling Monica Seles’ 33-match Australian Open winning streak in 2024, Novak Djokovic praised her as a “childhood idol”.
Djokovic’s streak spanned six years and four titles, beginning after his 2018 shock loss to Hyeon Chung. He returned to win the title in 2019 over Rafael Nadal, followed by championships in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
Every match of the run was played at Rod Laver Arena, before his streak ended in the 2024 semifinal against eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
3. Martina Hingis
Three straight singles and doubles titles at a major
Martina Hingis became the youngest AO singles champion of the Open era in 1997, storming to the title at just 16 years and 117 days without dropping a set, and backing it up by winning the doubles crown alongside Natasha Zvereva.
She repeated the rare singles-doubles double in 1998 and 1999 — first with Mirjana Lucic, and then Anna Kournikova — becoming the only player in the Open era to win both titles at the same Grand Slam three years in a row.
Hingis also reached six consecutive Australian Open singles finals (1997–2002), a feat matched only by Evonne Goolagong Cawley, cementing her dominance during one of the tournament’s most decorated eras.
4. Novak Djokovic
Longest Grand Slam final win in history
Novak Djokovic’s five-hour and 53-minute victory over Rafael Nadal in the 2012 final stands as the longest Grand Slam final ever. The match defined the Big Three era, with both pushing each other to their physical limit deep into the night.
The iconic final ended at 1:37am. While John Isner versus Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010 remains the longest overall match, no other Grand Slam final has lasted longer.
5. Roger Federer
Winning a hard-court Grand Slam without dropping a set
Roger Federer’s 2007 AO run is one of the most complete title campaigns in men’s tennis. He became just the second man in the Open era to win a Grand Slam without dropping a set, 27 years after Bjorn Borg in Paris.
Federer recorded straight-sets wins over Jonas Bjorkman, Mikhail Youzhny, Djokovic, Tommy Robredo and Andy Roddick, before defeating Fernando Gonzalez 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4 in the final, claiming his third Australian Open crown and 10th major overall.
6. Serena Williams
Two AO titles won after saving match point
If you come for the queen, you had best not miss. Serena Williams won three Grand Slam titles after saving match point — the most in Open era history — with two of those escapes at the Australian Open.
The first came in 2003, when she rallied from 1-5 down in the third set of a semifinal against Kim Clijsters to win 4-6 6-3 7-5, then defeated Venus Williams in the final. She repeated the feat in 2005, saving three match points against Maria Sharapova before beating Lindsay Davenport for the title.
7. Ken Rosewall
Oldest men’s Grand Slam champion of the Open era
Ken Rosewall already had seven major singles titles before turning 37, but his Australian Open 1972 triumph remains the most remarkable.
Entering as the world No.3 and defending champion, he returned to Kooyong and, at 37 years, two months and one day, defeated fellow Australian Mal Anderson 7-6 6-3 7-5 to win his fourth AO crown.
The victory made Rosewall the oldest men’s singles Grand Slam champion of the Open era.
He also remains the youngest AO men’s champion, winning in 1953 at just 18 years and 76 days.
8. Ash Barty
Only Aussie to reach multiple singles QFs at Melbourne Park
Few players have met the expectations of a home crowd like Ash Barty.
A year before her Australian Open 2022 triumph, she reached a third consecutive singles quarterfinal at Melbourne Park.
At the time, Pat Cash held the record for most Australian Open quarterfinals by an Australian, though three of his came at Kooyong.
Following her 2022 title, Barty drew level with Cash overall, became the most consistent Australian performer at Melbourne Park, and surpassed Wendy Turnbull for the most AO quarterfinal appearances by an Aussie woman.
9. Lleyton Hewitt
Latest (or earliest?) finishing Grand Slam match win
In 2008, Lleyton Hewitt took the court at 11:47pm against Marcos Baghdatis in a third-round match that was delayed by Roger Federer’s five-set win over Janko Tipsarevic.
The five-set marathon concluded at 4:34am, giving Hewitt the latest-finishing Grand Slam match win in history.
The record was challenged in 2023 when Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis finished a match at 4:06am.
10. Mats Wilander
Only AO singles champion to win at Kooyong and Melbourne Park
Mats Wilander is the only men’s or women’s singles champion to win the Australian Open when it was played at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and the Melbourne Park hard courts.
The Swedish great claimed back-to-back titles on grass at Kooyong in 1983 and 1984, then won the inaugural Melbourne Park trophy in 1988.
That final proved punishing. Wilander saved two match points against Pat Cash and prevailed 6-3 6-7 3-6 6-1 8-6 in four hours and 28 minutes, bridging two venues, two surfaces, and two eras of the tournament.
