Australian Open 2014: guide

Seven’s coverage of the Australian Open begins on Monday at 10am from Rod Laver Arena.

There are two big weeks of premium tennis planned for sports fans with Bruce McAvaney commentating chair plus Grand Slam champion Jim Courier and Lleyton Hewitt (should his playing commitments allow).

There’s also a slew of experts, analysts, hosts and reporters to capture all the colour of the event.

With a few exceptions Seven will screen non-finals from morning until End of Play Live on Seven in all cities, except Perth where play shifts to 7TWO from 6pm local time. Perth viewers will also see pre-9am play on 7TWO.

All cities will see coverage from 6-7pm on 7TWO, local time.

All cities will see Men and Women’s finals Live on Seven.

Meanwhile FOX Sports has High Definition coverage, with a mix of Live and Delayed matches you can read here.

SEVEN:
Australian Open 2014 dates and telecast times (local)

Monday 13 January
Melbourne 10am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6.00pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Sydney 10am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Brisbane 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 11.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Adelaide 9.30am – 6pm, 7pm – 12am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Perth 7am – 8am, 6pm – 9.30pm / EOP Live on 7TWO
8am – 6pm Live on Channel 7

Tuesday 14 January – Friday 17 January
Melbourne 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6.00pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Sydney 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Brisbane 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 11.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Adelaide 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12am / EOP Live on Channel 7
8.30am – 9am, 6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Perth 9am – 6pm Live on Channel 7
6am – 9am, 6pm – 9.30pm / EOP Live on 7TWO

Saturday 18 January – Sunday 19 January
Melbourne 10am – 6.00pm, 6.30pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6.00pm – 6.30pm Live on 7TWO
Sydney 10am – 6.00pm, 6.30pm – 12.30am Live / EOP on Channel 7
6.00pm – 6.30pm Live on 7TWO
Brisbane 10am – 6.00pm, 6.30pm – 11.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
9am – 10pm, 6.00pm – 6.30pm Live on 7TWO
Adelaide 10am – 6.00pm, 6.30pm – 12.00pm EOP Live on Channel 7
9.30am – 10am, 6.00pm – 6.30pm Live on 7TWO
Perth 9am – 6.00pm Live on Channel 7
7am – 9am, 6.00pm – 9.30pm / EOP Live on 7TWO

Monday 20 January – Thursday 23 January
Melbourne 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6.00pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Sydney 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12.30am / EOP Live on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Brisbane 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 11.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
8am – 9am, 6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Adelaide 9am – 6pm, 7pm – 12am / EOP Live on Channel 7
8.30am – 9am, 6pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Perth 9am – 6.00pm Live on Channel 7
6am – 9am, 6.00pm – 9.30pm / EOP Live on 7TWO

Friday 24 January
Melbourne 3pm – 5.30pm, 7pm – 10.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Sydney 3pm – 5.30pm, 7pm – 10.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Brisbane 2pm – 4.30pm, 7pm – 9.30pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Adelaide 2.30pm – 5pm, 7pm – 10pm / EOP Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 7pm Live on 7TWO
Perth 12pm – 5.30pm Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 7.30pm / EOP Live on 7TWO

Saturday 25 January
Melbourne 3pm – 5pm Highlights on Channel 7
6.30pm – 10.30pm / EOP Women’s Final Live on Channel 7
Sydney 3pm – 5pm Highlights on Channel 7
6.30pm – 10.30pm / EOP Women’s Final Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 3pm – 5pm Highlights on Channel 7
5.30pm – 6.30pm Preview Show Live on 7TWO
6.30pm – 9.30pm / EOP Women’s Final Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 3pm – 5pm Highlights on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Preview Show Live on 7TWO
7pm – 10pm / EOP Women’s Final Live on Channel 7
Perth 1.30pm – 3.30pm Highlights on Channel 7
3.30pm – 7.30pm / EOP Women’s Final Live on Channel 7

Sunday 26 January
Melbourne 4pm – 6pm Live on 7TWO
6.30pm – 10.30pm / EOP Men’s Final Live on Channel 7
Sydney 4pm – 6pm Live on 7TWO
6.30pm – 10.30pm / EOP Men’s Final Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 3pm – 5pm Live on Channel 7
5.30pm – 6.30pm Preview Show Live on 7TWO
6.30pm – 9.30pm / EOP Men’s Final Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 3.30pm – 5.30pm on Channel 7
6pm – 7pm Preview Show Live on 7TWO
7pm – 10pm / EOP Men’s Final Live on Channel 7
Perth 1pm – 3pm on Channel 7
3.30pm – 7.30pm / EOP Men’s Final Live on Channel 7

Bruce McAvaney
Commentator – Australian Open
In 2014 Bruce again steps into the commentary box. When it comes to sports broadcasting in Australia, Bruce has no equal. No one surpasses his depth of knowledge, dedication to the job or extensive preparation.
Dubbed the ―mastercaster‖, he has hosted and commentated almost every major sporting event in Australia including the AFL Grand Final, Brownlow Medal, Melbourne Cup, Bathurst 1000, Australian Open tennis, Australian Masters Golf, Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations Rugby, and every Olympic Games since 1980.

Jim Courier
Commentator – Australian Open
Four-time Grand Slam champion Jim Courier‘s name is synonymous with the Australian Open and Melbourne Park. From his unique celebratory jump in the Yarra River after winning his two titles and his always entertaining and informative expert analysis for Channel 7.
Jim won 23 career titles, including two Australian Opens (1992, 1993) and two French Opens (1991, 1992). He was also the runner-up at the US Open (1991), the French Open (1993) and Wimbledon (1993) and spent a total of 58 weeks as the top-ranked player in the world, having first ascended there aged 21 in 1992.
Jim began his television career in the US in 2001 as an analyst during TNT and CNN/Sports Illustrated‘s coverage of Wimbledon. He also served as an analyst for NBC Sports‘ coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympics and has been a member of the Channel 7 commentary team at the Australian Open since 2005.

Lleyton Hewitt
Commentator- Australian Open
Two-time Grand Slam winner and 2005 Australian Open finalist Lleyton Hewitt returns to Melbourne Park to compete for the 18th consecutive year, along with another stint in the Seven commentary box should his playing commitments allow.
Aussie tennis fans will again be hoping he goes deep into the second week of the tournament, but should he bow out along the way, viewers will again be treated to some of the most insightful and current thinking on the game today.

Todd Woodbridge
Commentator – Australian Open
Todd has earned a reputation as a forthright and insightful commentator. After hosting the Wimbledon coverage again in 2013, he steps into the commentary box for his ninth year as part of Seven‘s summer of tennis.
Todd started playing doubles with Mark Woodforde in 1990. Together, ―The Woodies won all the Grand Slams as well as the Olympic Games gold medal in Atlanta in 1996 and the silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. When they won the French Open in 2000, the Woodies broke the record of 57 career doubles titles held by Peter Fleming and John McEnroe and Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan. All up, the pair won 61 career doubles titles, making them the most successful doubles team in men‘s tennis history.

John Newcombe
Commentator- Australian Open
The former World No. 1 has an imposing 45-14 win loss record at the Australian Open, winning the men‘s singles in 1973 and 1975. He also collected five Australian Open doubles titles in 1965, 1967, 1971, 1973 and 1976, partnering with Tony Roche in four of them.
Since his retirement he has carved out a successful media career as a tennis commentator and analyst, most notably at Wimbledon where he has worked for Seven the past three years.

Johanna Griggs
Host – Australian Open
Johanna Griggs is a genuine sports fanatic. Her love of tennis makes the Australian Open for her the best fortnight of sport in Australia each year and every year new favourite memories are added to her list.
Johanna‘s passion for sport is only natural. The former world-ranked backstroker was just 16 when selected for the Auckland Games, where she won bronze in the 100m backstroke. She was also the first Australian female swimmer to break the 30 second barrier for the 50m backstroke.
Alongside her Australian open tennis hosting duties, Johanna has co-hosted a number of sporting events including several Olympics as well as hosting Sportsworld and most recently, the top-rating Better Homes and Gardens and House Rules.

Sam Smith
Commentator – Australian Open
Great Britain‘s Sam Smith has turned an impressive career as a player into an outstanding one as a broadcaster. A former No. 1 British women‘s singles player, Sam has been a member of the Eurosport, Sky Sports, BBC Radio, BBC TV and for the last four years Seven tennis commentary team.
The Australian Open has fond memories for Sam where she visited for the first time as a 15 year old in 1988 to play juniors and nearly qualified for the Australian Open. The trip to Melbourne Park in its first year of operation gave her the inspiration to become a tennis professional that would later see her reach the fourth round of Wimbledon and win ITF tournaments in Nottingham and Frinton-on-Sea and represent Great Britain.

Rennae Stubbs
Commentator – Australian Open
Rennae Stubbs has won several Grand Slam doubles titles and represented Australia at three successive Olympic Games, but holds the Australian Open dear after her triumphant year in 2000.
She has recorded more double triumphs than any other Australian woman—59 from 1992 to the conclusion of the 2007 WTA Tour—enjoying success with 11 different partners. She also won two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles with male partners. In 2001, Stubbs won the season-ending WTA Championships with regular partner Lisa Raymond and the pair were named ITF World Champions.

Jim Wilson
Host- Australian Open
Jim Wilson is the sports presenter for Seven News in Sydney and Seven‘s afternoon national news bulletin Seven News at 4.
During his career as a sports journalist, Jim has covered some of the most significant sporting events of recent times such as seven Olympic Games, the British Open golf, South African and West Indian cricket tours, World Cup soccer, the NRL State of Origin series and AFL Grand Finals.
Jim has been part of the Seven Sports team since 1992, holding senior correspondent and reporter positions in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Matt White
Host & Commentator – Australian Open
Matt‘s career in journalism began as a reporter at The Manly Daily, which led to his start in broadcast journalism, presenting the news on NEWFM in Newcastle. Matt‘s love of sport and natural ability in front of the camera landed him the role of weekend sports presenter with NBN Newcastle.
He later became the first host of sports program Sports Tonight. Matt also has extensive experience in anchoring and commentating major sports events and telecasts such as the V8 Supercars, Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup Rugby, Formula One Motor Racing, the Melbourne Cup, the Uncle Toby‘s IronMan Series, US Open Golf tournaments, AFL Grand Finals, the 2004 Athens Olympics, 2006 Torino Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Hamish McLachlan
Host & Commentator – Australian Open
Hamish McLachlan comes from a strong sporting background with management and broadcast experience on a national and international level with sports including AFL, Olympics, tennis and cricket.
Over the past six years Hamish has hosted Channel 7‘s AFL Game Day alongside some of the biggest names in the game including Leigh Matthews, Matthew Richardson and Tim Watson.
Hamish has also featured in Channel 7‘s Melbourne Cup Carnival racing coverage and provided commentary at the Australian Open tennis.

Basil Zempilas
Host & Commentator – Australian Open
Basil Zempilas is an acclaimed TV host, reporter and commentator, having covered AFL in Perth for almost 20 years as well as calling at five Olympic Games – including, most famously, Steven Bradbury‘s ‗Last Man Standing‘ Winter Olympics victory. Basil is the 7 News sport presenter in Perth and has provided AFL commentary on SEN.

Henri Leconte
Commentator – Australian Open
After a stunning debut in the Australian Open commentary box in 2010 as a special guest, Leconte has entertained audiences with his flair and energy ever since. Leconte turned orthodox commentary on its head when he helped audiences live the big moments in the 2010 match between France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Spain’s Nicolas Almagro.
The peak of his career came in the mid to late 1980s when in 1986 he reached two Grand Slam singles semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon, and attained his career-high singles ranking of World No. 5. In 1988, Leconte reached the men’s singles final at the French Open,
Leconte retired from the professional tour in 1996, having won a total of nine career singles titles and 10 doubles titles.

John Fitzgerald
Commentator – Australian Open
This will be John‘s 19th year providing expert commentary for Channel 7‘s summer of tennis. His memories of the Australian Open stretch back to Kooyong where he won a doubles title in 1982.
As a player, his greatest career highlights came during the 11 years he represented Australia in the Davis Cup. During this time he well and truly made his mark on Australian tennis and was an integral part of the team. He played three finals and played a major role in defeating Sweden in both the 1983 and 1986 finals at Kooyong.
John also held the No.1 ranking in Australia, represented his country in two Olympics (Seoul and Barcelona), won six ATP Tour singles titles, 30 ATP Tour doubles titles (including seven Grand Slam titles) and received the Order of Australia Medal in 1993 for services to tennis.

Allan Stone
Commentator – Australian Open
Former Australian Open doubles champion Allan Stone has been commentating tennis on Channel 7 for more than 30 years and has attended 53 out of the last 54 Australian Opens as a player or commentator.
During his 16 years touring the world, Allan notched up 11 doubles titles – including the 1968 and 1977 Australian Open – represented Australia in four Davis Cup campaigns and reached both the doubles and mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 1975.
As he neared the end of his playing career, Allan was invited to be a guest commentator by Channel 7. After his retirement, he became a permanent member of the network‘s team and has commentated at most major tennis events.

Fred Stolle
Commentator – Australian Open
As a player Fred Stolle was known for his powerful serve, accurate volleys, fluid backhand and competitiveness.
He won all four doubles majors, and contested singles finals at all the Grand Slams, winning at Paris in 1965 and New York in 1966. He was runner-up at Wimbledon three times (1963, 1964 and 1965) and twice at the Australian Championships (1964 and 1965). Fred enjoyed success in Davis Cup and was part of Australia‘s winning teams in 1964, 1965 and 1966.
Fred has been a favourite in the tennis commentary box ever since with his forthright opinions and analysis.

Roger Rasheed
Expert Analyst – Australian Open
Roger‘s impressively varied career so far means he has seen the best of world tennis from all angles, especially when it comes to the Australian Open.
As a player, Roger was 16 when he became the youngest player to qualify for the men‘s singles in his home Grand Slam. It took 10 years for a player to take this mantle, a teenager by the name Lleyton Hewitt, who Roger would go on to coach. Under Roger, Lleyton rose from world No.19 to No.2, and played in two Grand Slam finals, including the memorable epic performances that led to a brave loss in the final of the 2005 Australian Open.
Roger is the current coach of world no.23 Grigor Dimitrov and also coached the Australian Davis Cup team in 2006.
In addition to his coaching role, Roger is now an integral part of Seven‘s commentary team working as an expert analyst at the Australian Open.

Nicole Bradtke
Commentator – Australian Open
Nicole hit her first ball at the age of five and started playing professionally at 15. She won three singles and nine doubles titles with career highlights including a semi-final appearance at the 1988 French Open and a bronze medal with Rachel McQuillan at the 1992 Olympics. She also won two mixed-doubles Grand Slams with Mark Woodforde – the 1992 US Open and 1993 Australian Open.
Bradtke reached the top 30 in early 1989, before making further fourth rounds at the 1989 Australian Open and the 1990 French Open and winning her first title at home in Brisbane in 1992.
Nicole represented Australia in the Federation Cup for eight years from ‗88 to ‗95, when she took over as coach. Since retiring, Nicole has coached some of Australia‘s most promising female players, including Alicia Molik and Sam Stosur.

Kerryn Pratt
Commentator – Australian Open
The Australian Open is special to Kerryn as the international tennis family gets together on our home soil with the excitement of the start of a new season.
Kerryn is an accomplished former Australian tennis player. A leading junior player, she went on to make the last 16 in the Australian Open singles, was a semi-finalist in the Australian Open doubles and was a finalist in the Queensland Open singles and won the Australian Hardcourt doubles.
She has since spent 17 years as a TV sports journalist, producer and tennis commentator for Grand Slams and other major events. She‘s also been a courtside TV host and interviewer at the Masters Cup tennis and commentated tennis, badminton and softball for Seven at the Athens and Beijing Olympics.

Neil Kearney
Reporter- Australian Open
A champion spinner of truly outstanding yarns for Seven at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and almost every other sporting event Australians hold dear, it‘s only fitting Neil Kearney reports at the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific.
Neil‘s TV career began in 1984 when he joined Willesee as a specialist reporter. He later featured prominently on A Current Affair and went on to produce and present a high-rating series called Kearney‘s Characters. He also produced award-winning documentaries on events and personalities as diverse as The Kentucky Derby horse race and the late Ayrton Senna.
Tennis fans can once again look forward to his unique reporting style during Seven‘s coverage of the Australian Open.

Rebecca Maddern
Reporter- Australian Open
7 News presenter and reporter Rebecca Maddern will be out at the Australian open to capture all the Melbourne Park colour and entertainment.
Rebecca‘s current busy schedule involves presenting news updates, reporting and regularly travelling to Sydney as a presenter for Sunrise and The Morning Show. She is also Melbourne‘s alternate weekend bulletin presenter.
Rebecca is an avid Geelong Football Club fan and was very proud to be announced as Geelong Football Club‘s number one female ticket holder.

Nathan Templeton
Reporter – Australian Open
Nathan joined Seven News in July 2012 as Sports Reporter and summer Sports Presenter. Previously working for Ten News and Sports Tonight for four years, Nathan has reported on several AFL Grand Final‘s and Boxing Day Tests.
A keen sportsman and viewer, the 2014 Australian Open marks his second as part of the broadcast team, and Nathan again looks forward to reporting on all the action at Melbourne Park.
Rachael Finch
Presenter – Australian Open
New Mum Rachael Finch returns again to Seven presenting duties at the Australian Open to capture all the fun, fashion and glamour after a stunning Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The 2009 Miss Universe Australia winner brings a charming and bright presence to Seven‘s tennis coverage drawing on her vast presenting experiences across other lifestyle and entertainment programs including Dancing with the Stars, The Great Outdoors and Sunrise.

Scherri-Lee Biggs
Presenter – Australian Open
Scherri-Lee recently relinquished the Miss Universe Australia 2011 crown to venture the world of television. She joined Channel 7 in July 2012 as a travel presenter on Coxy‘s Big Break and worked as a reporter on Channel 7‘s Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcast 2012.
Scherri-Lee looks forward to more roving reporting at Melbourne Park again to capture all the courtside colour and entertainment for Seven‘s telecast.

Geoff Masters
Commentator – Australian Open
Geoff Masters joined the pro tennis circuit in 1969 and retired in 1980, including winning the Australian Open doubles title in 1974 with Ross Case. In all he won 26 doubles titles throughout his career including a US Open mixed and a prized Wimbledon triumph – and enjoyed singles success with three titles.
He has worked as head coach at the Queensland Academy of Sport working with current player Bernard Tomic, as well as commentary for Seven at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.