Melbourne, Australia, 18 December 2023 | Matt Trollope

Among the most unforgettable moments for Aussie tennis fans was Ash Barty’s triumph at Australian Open 2022 – a match attracting some of the highest domestic TV ratings in two decades.

No Australian player had ever won the men’s or women’s singles tournament since the AO had moved to Melbourne Park in 1988; Barty’s triumph ended a 44-year wait for a home-grown singles champion.

Given the increasing depth and strength of global tennis competition, the degree of difficulty confronting local singles hopes is higher than ever. However, you can almost guarantee there will be at least one Aussie champion, in any event, each January.

History supports this statement. In the 36 editions of the tournament at Melbourne Park, only five times – 1990, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011 – has an Australian player’s name not been engraved on a trophy.

There are now 15 events staged each year at the AO, and there has been at least one Australian champion in 11 of them.

It’s an astonishing success rate – 50 Australian players have become Australian Open champions, in at least one event, at Melbourne Park.

Of those 50 Aussies, Todd Woodbridge holds the distinction of being a champion in three different events – men’s doubles (1992, 1997, 2001), mixed doubles (1993) and boys’ doubles (1988, 1989). No other Australian has triumphed in more than two events.

You don’t necessarily need a Rod Laver Arena ticket to see Aussie talent succeeding.

Much of the doubles, junior and wheelchair action takes place on smaller showcourts and outside courts, allowing fans with a ground pass to support any Aussie players progressing through these draws.

The majority of these events unfold in the final week of the Australian Open, meaning there is almost always local interest deep into the tournament – even if Australians are no longer in men’s and women’s singles contention.

We revisit some of the highlights for the host nation throughout the Australian Open’s history at Melbourne Park.

1988: A junior sweep

In the tournament’s first year at Melbourne Park, there were Australian champions in all four junior events – the only time in Grand Slam history this has happened.

Jo-Anne Faull was both the singles and doubles champion, after also reaching the second round of the women’s singles as a wildcard.

1992: Australia’s most prolific year

There were Australian champions in five events, including the men’s doubles – the first of the Woodies’ two AO titles.

It was an especially fruitful year for Mark Woodforde, who also won the mixed crown with Nicole Provis. So too for Grant Doyle, who scooped the boys’ singles and doubles titles.

2005: A sensational centenary

On the 100-year anniversary of the tournament, Alicia Molik followed up her women’s singles quarterfinal with victory in the doubles alongside Svetlana Kuznetsova.

It was also the first of Sam Stosur’s eight Grand Slam titles, when she teamed with Scott Draper to win the mixed doubles at just 20 years of age.

Decorated player David Hall won his third consecutive AO wheelchair singles title.

Australia also came extremely close to having its first men’s singles champion at the tournament since 1976, with Lleyton Hewitt advancing to the final.

2013: New stars emerge

In a glimpse of the future, Nick Kyrgios beat Thanasi Kokkinakis to win the boys’ singles title. Nine years later, they would combine to win the AO 2022 men’s doubles title.

Eight years on from Stosur and Draper’s success, another all-Aussie pairing hoisted the mixed doubles trophy, in Jarmila Gajdosova and Matt Ebden.

The boys’ doubles was won by Aussie duo Jay Andrijic and Bradley Mousley. Mousley repeated the following year, with Austria’s Lucas Miedler.

2019: Popular triumphs

In 2006, Stosur held match point in the women’s doubles final with Lisa Raymond, before losing. Thirteen years later, she finally got her moment in the event, teaming with Zhang Shuai to win the 2019 women’s doubles title.

Dylan Alcott continued his domination of his home Grand Slam, winning his fifth consecutive quad singles title – he would finish his career with seven – as well as defending his quad doubles title with friend and compatriot Heath Davidson.