AKTV (on IBC), the country’s premier sports channel, will once again give sports fans the opportunity to catch the heart-stopping tennis action of the Australian Open beginning this Tuesday, January 22.

Held in Melbourne, this year’s tournament offers the biggest prize money in the tournament –- US$ 2.5 million each for the men’s and women’s singles champions.

The biggest names in tennis have already advanced to the next stages of the tournament. Novak Djokovic is out to defend his Men’s Singles crown and is poised to take home his fourth Australian Open title. Contenders led by Roger Federer and Andy Murray are raring to unseat him as the champion.

Meanwhile, defending Women’s Singles champion Victoria Azarenka is hoping to build from her win last year and continue to show her winning ways. Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Svetlana Kusnetsova are also hoping to reach the finals.

AKTV’s Australian Open coverage will have local commentary by a lineup of sports anchors and commentators.

“As always, we continue our tradition of providing local commentary for all our international sporting events to give fans the Filipino perspective and broaden the sports’s appeal to more Filipinos nationwide. Our primetime coverage begins with the quarterfinals on Tuesday, January 22,” said AKTV Sports Manager Vitto Lazatin.

AKTV’s Australia Open telecast schedule starts with the Men’s Singles quarterfinals on January 22 and 23 starting at 5:30PM via satellite. The Men’s Singles Semifinals happen on January 24 and 25 also via satellite at 5:30pm. The Women’s Singles Finals will be aired live on Saturday, January 26, at 4:00pm and the Men’s Singles Finals will happen on Sunday, January 27 at 4:00pm.

Photo: www.australianopen.com