With all the troubles of the bush fires, it is nice to take a break from all the tragedy. It is time again for one of the best global tennis events to make its way back to the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park.
Both Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka are looking to defend their titles. Djokovic is fresh out of a victory in the ATP Cup Down Under, so he is in full steam.
On the other hand, Osaka may not now appear to be a favorite due to an early exit from the recent Brisbane International.
This year’s Australian Open tennis tournament has the added element of the bush fires to contend with, and umpires have been told if the air quality falls, then there will be a halt to the proceedings until it clears.
Add to this the chance of bad weather, and it may be a bumpy ride over the first few matches, which begin today.
With this in mind, many thousands of tennis fans are keen on watching the world’s best. Therefore, here, we look at how you can watch the Australian Open 2022 live using a VPN.
Where to Watch Australian Open 2022
While every country has coverage of the 108th Australian Open Tennis Tournament, many need subscriptions to catch the matches in all their glory.
Watching the Australian Open online is the way to go, but there are expensive options even then. Here are the best ways you can watch the Australian Open live online.
Channel 9
The Nine Network is an Australian TV network. It is advert funded and again has the rights for broadcasting the entire Australian Open Tournament tennis matches.
For tennis fans in Australia, they can turn on the TV and watch the matches from the comfort of their chairs. However, things could appear not so good for fans outside Australia or ones on the go.
Luckily, Channel 9 has its own streaming service. Streaming the Australian Open is straightforward, and all you need to do is create an account.
Here are the steps to follow to create your free account:
- Head to the 9Now website and click sign up
- Enter an email and password
- On the next page, enter your name, family name, date of birth details, and gender.
- For the Australian postcode that is required, you can use any you find on the internet.
- Click continue, and you receive a confirmation email.
Because this is geo-restricted, you need a good streaming VPN in place before you can access anything on the site.
Once you do that, you can stream Australian Open tennis in all its glory. The great thing about this service is that it is free.
The 9Now app runs on Android or iOS devices, or you can watch Australian Open streaming on any browser-supported device.
ESPN
Another service you can find all the best action is from the tennis channel on ESPN. For US residents, this is a matter of tuning in with their subscription.
However, any fans who are outside the USA will need to take a different approach. ESPN+ has plenty of coverage from the Rod Laver home of the open.
With well over 1,400 hours of the tennis tournament, there are lots to watch. This includes mixed doubles, men’s and women’s doubles, and of course, the singles matches.
Tuning in to ESPN can be easier than you think using a streaming service, which has it as part of its plan.
- FuboTV has a one week trial and then costs $54.99 per month
- Hulu with Live TV comes with one week free and then $54.99 per month. You can sign up with a Disney plus account and have ESPN+ included.
- Sling Orange and Orange and Blue combo start at $30 per month. No free trial but a reduced rate for month one.
ESPN+ App is the preferred option because it only costs $4.99 per month as a standalone subscription. This does offer a 7-day free trial.
By any way of watching, ESPN does need a VPN before you can start watching the Australian Open on your devices. (Learn How to Watch BBC Match Of The Day Stream)
2022 Australian Open Schedule
| Date | Matches | Rod Laver | Margaret Court | Outer Courts | Matches Featured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 20 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 1st singles round |
| Tue 21 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 1st singles round |
| Wed 22 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 2nd singles round |
| Thu 23 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 2nd singles round |
| Fri 24 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am 7:30 pm | 11:00 am – | 3rd singles round |
| Sat 25 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am 7:30 pm | 11:00 am – | 3rd singles round |
| Sun 26 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 4th singles round |
| Mon 27 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:30 pm | 11:00 am – | 11:00 am – | 4th singles round |
| Tue 28 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:00 pm | 11:00 am – | Singles Quarterfinals | |
| Wed 29 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:30 pm | 11:00 am – | Singles Quarterfinals | |
| Thu 30 | Day Night | 11:00 am 7:30 pm | 11:00 am – | 2 x Women’s Singles Semi’s 1 x Men’s Singles Semi’s |
|
| Fri 31 | Twilight | 3:00 pm 7:30 pm | 3:00 pm – | Women’s Doubles Final 1 x Men’s Singles Semi’s |
|
| Sat Feb 1 | Twilight | 1:00 pm 7:30 pm | 1:00 pm – | Women’s Final followed by Mixed Doubles Final | |
| Sun Feb 2 | Twilight | 4:30 pm 7:00 pm | Men’s Doubles Final Men’s Singles Final |
Best VPN for Australian Open 2022
1. ExpressVPN
Many individuals see ExpressVPN as the number one streaming VPN in the world. It is among the most popular for users in Australia to access content from other countries.
However, it makes a change to accessing Australian content. Again, this VPN will provide the best Australian Open live stream experience, no matter which country tennis fans are in.
Extensive optimized VPN server network covering 94 countries with over 3,000 servers. You can have five connections on Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux, with custom firmware for routers, among many other devices.
Get 3 months FREE (Limited Time Offer)
Aside from streaming the Australian Open, this VPN bypasses restrictions for All Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu.
There is full torrenting support of dedicated servers and military-grade AES-256 bit encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. You will always stay safe online.
Pros
Cons
Uses Trusted Server technology where all user data wiped on server reboots to enhance privacy and security.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN has one of the biggest server networks there is. It packs in lots of security features for the privacy-conscious, so it takes good care of torrents.
With six simultaneous device connections, users can use any of the following: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, and Android TV.
Chrome and Firefox extensions are available, and it does an excellent job of bypassing geo-restrictions for streaming on most platforms. NordVPN now offers live chat, which is welcome. (Read our NordVPN Review)
Pros
Cons
The double-hop feature passes data around multiple servers before reaching its destination. This makes it almost impossible to track users.
3. Surfshark
Although this VPN has a smaller than average VPN network with only 1,000+ servers in 61 countries, it can still deliver good streaming speeds for a live stream of the Australian Open.
It will bypass many streaming platform geo-restrictions; and has plenty of device support on Android, iOS, Mac and PC desktops, Linux, FireTV, etc.
It is more than capable of keeping users protected using AES-256 bit encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. It also has an ad-blocker and anti-malware/ tracker feature.
Torrenting is possible on all servers, and with no DNS or WebRTC leaks, users have no worries about anyone seeing their online activities. Users can also use a double-hop feature for more security, though this slows connections considerably.
Pros
Cons
With Surfshark VPN, users have unlimited simultaneous connections to use for each account.
4. IPVanish
For live Australian Open streaming, IPVanish has been a favorite for a few years. It copes with torrenting and P2P file sharing. It does bypass geo-restrictions, though there are a couple of US streaming platforms that cause problems.
There is a strict zero-logging policy, along with military-grade encryption on its 1,300 servers in 75 locations. It delivers above-average download speeds, so it can prevent buffering while watching all the latest tennis stars in their battle to win the Open.
Pros
Cons
IPVanish owns all its servers and equipment. They also have a secure DNS service, so there is no need to use any third party.
More About the Australian Open
When you sit down to watch an Australian Open live stream, you will be watching the first Grand Slam of the year and the first one of a new decade. Although this year is the 108th, it still trails as the youngest of all the Grand Slams.
Wimbledon is 1877, the US Open in 1881, and the French Open ten years later in 1891.
It is also the only tournament of this kind, which uses retractable roofs on three courts.
Djokovic is currently the most successful men’s player and has won on seven separate occasions. This takes him one ahead of Roger Federer. The years he won are 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
For the women, Serena Williams equals Djokovic’s tally of seven in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2017.
In the same way as other major open tournaments, the men’s matches are the best of five sets. Women’s and doubles match run to the best of three sets.
It is a significant year for a couple of players, and none more so than Rafael Nadal. Although he has managed to win 84 major titles, this year’s open will take him to level with Federer’s haul of
20 Grand Slams. He may be the top seed for this year’s tournament, but his last success was back in 2009.
Behind Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer, Daniil Medvedev is hoping to solidify his name as one of the world’s best and move up from the number four position. Another player who is keen to improve is the semifinalist of 2019, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
For the women, we have 2nd ranking Karolina Pliskova, who managed a quarterfinal standing in 2018. She is looking to build on her 13 singles titles.
Anyone who is hoping to watch Simona Halep lives online will be cheering her on. She saw defeat in 2018 in the final and is desperate to make amends this year after injury and exhaustion.
What’s the Bottom Line?
There is plenty of tennis action over the next couple of weeks to keep the most ardent fan occupied.
With a quick and easy option of signing up for the 9Now app, all it takes is a quality streaming VPN to catch every breakpoint of every match.
The options above all have their place, yet to get the very best of any Australian Open stream live, it is best to use the number one VPN for use in Australia or access Australian content.
It is game, set, and match because ExpressVPN is the best VPN for watching the Open online.
