Geneva, Switzerland, 8 February 2021 – The world’s best players and emerging talents have once again gathered in Melbourne to contest the Australian Open, where Rolex has been Official Timekeeper and Associate Sponsor since 2008.

The first Grand Slam event of the year, with roots dating back to 1905, the Australian Open has hosted some of the greatest players and most epic matches in tennis history. Originally played on grass, in 1988 the tournament relocated to Melbourne Park, switching to hard courts.

Despite ongoing global challenges, organizers have worked tirelessly to ensure this year’s event still goes ahead. While Rolex Testimonee Roger Federer will not be competing – the first time he will miss the tournament since his debut in the main draw in 2000 – other esteemed Testimonees return to continue forging their own legacies in Melbourne.

Rolex’s association with tennis began more than 40 years ago when it partnered the sport’s oldest event, The Championships, Wimbledon. Since then, the Swiss watch manufacturer has become a strong presence in the game and developed lasting bonds with some of the sport’s biggest names. As well as Federer, its family of Testimonees includes Li Na of China, the 2014 Australian Open women’s singles champion, and Caroline Wozniacki, who, with her win in 2018, became the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam singles title. Rolex partners all four Grand Slam tournaments and the major organizations who administer the game worldwide.

As the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open offers competitors the opportunity to make a successful start to their season. To do so, players must produce unwavering accuracy and consistent performance in even the most high-pressure situations.

GRAND SLAM PEDIGREE
Two Rolex Testimonees, both of whom enjoyed stellar campaigns in 2020, are once again set to compete for the top prizes in Melbourne.

Austria’s Dominic Thiem, with his powerful backhand and heavy, searching forehand, is one of the most feared players on the tour. Last year the World No. 3 began his season as an Australian Open finalist, narrowly missing out on the title in five sets, before going on to claim his maiden Grand Slam crown at the US Open in September.

Poland’s Iga Swiatek enjoyed her most successful year as a professional in 2020. At last year’s Australian Open, she matched her then best result at a Grand Slam tournament, reaching the fourth round, but it was at Roland-Garros later in the year that she announced herself to the tennis world. Without dropping a set throughout the event, and aged just 19, Swiatek became the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles trophy. As a result, she rose to World No. 17, her highest career ranking.

ROLEX TESTIMONEES
Joining Thiem and Swiatek in Melbourne will be Testimonees who have also enjoyed success on the sport’s biggest stages, including Spaniard Garbiñe Muguruza, American Sloane Stephens and Stéfanos Tsitsipás of Greece. With Grand Slam triumphs at Roland-Garros in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017 – she also made last year’s Australian Open final – Muguruza has been performing at the pinnacle of her sport for many years. Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, has shown her own big-game credentials to challenge for a second Grand Slam title, while 2019 Australian Open semi-finalist Tsitsipás, seeks to claim his first.