When it comes to prize money, the Australian Open leads the way, with the 2012 tournament the richest in grand slam history. The prize fund is a whopping $23.9 million, with the winners of each singles event collecting a cool $2.2 million while the losing finalists can console themselves with a $1 million check.
(CNN) -- The Australian Open provides a testing challenge for the world's top tennis players as they turn out for the first grand slam tournament of the season.
The searing heat of the Melbourne summer sun, the high bounce of the blue Plexicushion hard-court playing surface and the boisterous atmosphere generated by the packed stands all blend together to make the January 14-29 event an unforgettable experience.
It may not yet have prestige of the other three majors, but it is a place where stars are born and where legendary reputations are no guarantee of success -- and the rewards have grown greater and greater.
The 2012 edition is the 100th in the tournament's illustrious history, but what do you know about it? CNN Sport digs up nine items of interest about the southern hemisphere's biggest tennis event.
Richest grand slam
Although Wimbledon and the U.S. and French Opens have arguably more prestige than the Australian event, there is no doubt, that in monetary terms at least, the Melbourne grand slam leads the way. And it isn't just the singles champions who will be laughing all the way to the bank after their $2.2 million payouts. The men's and women's doubles winners will each receive $468,000 per pair, while the mixed doubles champions collect $140,000 per pair.
Fighting factions
Melbourne is a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities, and has more ethnic diversity than any other city in Australia. When Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis reached the men's singles final against Roger Federer in 2006 he was cheered on by Melbourne's large Greek-Australian community. Sadly, in recent years, nationalistic rivalry has spilled over into sporadic fighting, notably between Serb and Croat fans.
The heat is on
As part of the Extreme Heat Policy, which was introduced in 1998, Melbourne organizers have a regulation which is referred to as a "heat stress level." The measurement of heat stress is a combination of ambient air temperature, wind speed, humidity and the intensity of solar radiation. When daytime temperatures hit 35 degrees and the heat stress level reaches 28, then play can be suspended and the roofs on two of the main arenas closed for any new matches starting.
Nomadic existence
The tournament was initially known as the Australasian Championships, then became the Australian Championships and enjoyed a nomadic existence in its early years. As well as the 56 tournaments in Melbourne, the other 44 have been spread across several cities, including Sydney (17), Adelaide (14), Brisbane (7), Perth (3). Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's Christchurch and Hastings also hosted it in 1906 and 1912 respectively.
Follow the crowd
Toasting retirement with Thomas Muster
Once Melbourne was confirmed as the definitive home for the tournament, it soon became apparent that a new site needed to be constructed to accommodate the vast numbers of fans wanting to watch the action. In 1988 the tournament moved to the newly-built Melbourne Park complex and, since then, attendance figures have continued to soar. The main Rod Laver Arena has a seating capacity of 14,820, while the Hisense Arena can hold 11,000.
Surface switches
The tournament was played on grass until it left Kooyong. For the first two decades the new playing surface was the green Rebound Ace hard-court material, made by an Australian company, but in 2008 it changed to the U.S.-produced Plexicushion Prestige -- which supposedly retains less heat and has better stability for players than its predecessor. Roger Federer and Serena Williams are the only players to have won the Australian title on both types of courts, while Sweden's Mats Wilander is unique in his wins on grass and Rebound Ace.
Famous names honored
The Australian Open singles trophies are named after Norman Brookes and Daphne Akhurst. Brookes was a legendary player in the formative years of the game. He was the first non-Briton to win Wimbledon in 1907, and in 1926 he became the first president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia -- a post he held for the next 28 years. Akhurst dominated Australian tennis in the 1920s, winning five Australian Opens before tragically dying of an ectopic pregnancy at the age of 29.
Hingis makes history
Martina Hingis was just 16 years, three months old when she beat Mary Pierce in the 1997 women's final to become the youngest winner of a grand slam singles title. Remarkably the youngest men's winner is also the oldest. In 1953, the 18-year-old Ken Rosewall won the first of his four Australian Open titles. The last of his wins came in 1972 at the age of 37 years and two months, making Rosewall the oldest grand slam singles champion in history -- while the 19-year span between his first and last title is also a record.
Edmondson's shock victory
Andy Murray tries road tennis
Australian legend John Newcombe was expected to stroll to his third Australian Open title, and eighth grand slam success, in 1976. His unseeded 22-year-old opponent Mark Edmondson had been taken to five sets by Austrian Peter Feigl in his opening match but caused a major upset by dumping top seed Rosewall out in the semifinals. Newcombe was the hot favorite to retain his title but, after winning the opening set, Edmondson hit back to take the next three for a stunning triumph. Edmondson went on to become an accomplished doubles player, claiming four Australian Open titles in the 1980s, but he never won another grand slam singles title.
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The Melbourne sun can often soar to uncomfortable levels, with the 2007 tournament proving to be particularly hot. Maria Sharapova was among those to suffer in the conditions despite the Extreme Heat Policy that was introduced in 1998. This comes into play when temperatures hit 35 degrees Celcius, and can result in matches being suspended until the weather cools down.
In recent years, the sport's genteel reputation has taken a bit of a battering, with Melbourne's Serb and Croat communities often coming to blows while supporting their favorite players. This rivalry appears to have intensified as top players like men's world number one Novak Djokovic have become more successful.
Although the singles winners' trophies are instantly recognizable, their titles are not as widely known. The men battle it out for the the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, while the top woman will collect the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy -- both famous names from the tournament's illustrious history.
The Australian Open has had many different homes since the first tournament in 1905. Five cities have played host, with two events also played in New Zealand. Melbourne's Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club became the permanent site in 1972, before the current venue at Melbourne Park was built specifically for the tournament in 1988.
The green hard-court playing surface was abandoned in 2008 and replaced with a blue alternative that has higher bounce and more cushioning, and is supposed to retain less heat.
Soaring crowds meant the tournament needed a bigger home, which resulted in the construction of Melbourne Park. The Australian Open consistently has the highest attendances of all four majors, with the 2010 event achieving a record single-day crowd of 77,043 and an overall figure of 653,860.
History was made in Melbourne in 1997 when Switzerland's Martina Hingis lifted the women's singles title with a 6-2 6-2 final success over Mary Pierce of France. Aged just 16 years and three months, Hingis became the youngest grand slam singles winner -- a record she continues to hold -- and she followed that success with victories in 1998 and 1999.
Australia has not enjoyed a home success in the men's singles since Mark Edmondson triumphed in 1976. Opponent John Newcombe was expected to retain his title from the previous year, but Edmondson produced a stunning display to win in four sets. It was the 21-year-old's first career title and, at 212th, he is the lowest-ranked grand slam winner in history.
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