Australian Open 2012: 7 Greatest Records in Aussie Open History

The 2012 Australian Open is the 107th in history, and the 43rd since it became a Grand Slam in 1969. Stars like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, the Williams sisters, Caroline Wozniacki and more all came to Melbourne, Australia to compete for one of the four major Grand Slams.

The Australian Open has many records surrounding it, yet these are the most notable. While there are certainly more impressive records before the event became a Grand Slam, the ones on this list are from 1969 or later.

Some of these records could be broken or amended over the final days of the event, but for now, these are the greatest records in Australian Open history.

Honorable Mentions

The honorable mentions for this list are the most notable records prior to the Australian Open becoming a Grand Slam.

Most Men's Singles titles: 6 Roy Emerson (1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967)

Most consecutive Men's Singles titles: 5 Roy Emerson (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967)

Most Men's Doubles titles: 10 Adrian Quist (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950)

Most consecutive Men's Doubles titles: 10 Adrian Quist (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950)

Most total Men's Championships 13 Adrian Quist 1936–1950 (3 singles, 10 men's doubles, 0 mixed doubles)

Most Women's Singles titles: 7 Margaret Court (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)

Most consecutive Women's Singles titles:  7 Margaret Court (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)

Most Women's Doubles titles: 12 Thelma Coyne Long (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958)

Most total Women's Championships: 20 Nancye Wynne Bolton (1936–1952 (6 singles, 10 women's doubles, 4 mixed doubles)

Oldest winner ever: 52 Horace Rice (1923, Men's Mixed Doubles)

Most Men's Singles Titles: Andre Agassi, Roger Federer

The record for most Men's Singles titles since 1969 is currently four, held by both Andre Agassi and Roger Federer.

However, after a win in Round 4 against Australia's own Bernard Tomic in straight sets, Federer has set himself up for a quarterfinals matchup with Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina. He sits now just three wins away from winning his fifth Men's Singles title, which would give him the sole possession of this record.

Federer won the Australian Open just two years ago, and if he can make it two-out-of-three he will raise the bar to five titles since 1969.

Most Men's Doubles Titles: Bob and Mike Bryan

Bob and Mike Bryan are twin brothers, and they have dominated the Men's Doubles events in the Australian Open for the last six years.

The two have won five of the last six Men's Double titles, with the only exception being in 2008, when the twins were ousted in the quarter finals by Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles.

After beating Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins in Round 3, the two are three wins away from yet another Australian Open Men's Doubles title.

While both brothers are five titles short of Adrian Quist, who won 10 titles, they still make one of the best Men's Doubles teams in history, if not the best, as Quist won his titles with different partners.

These 33-year-olds have 700 wins in Open Era, and they remain the most dominant Men's Doubles team we have seen in decades.

Most Women's Singles Titles: Serena Williams

Serena Williams has won five Australian Open Women's Singles titles in her career. She won in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010, but she won't win in 2012.

Williams lost in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to Ekaterina Makarova. She won't be able to add to her record this year, but she still holds the record for titles since 1969, otherwise she would be two behind Margaret Court.

Williams has had a lot of success Down Under, despite not making it to the quarterfinals this year.

Most Consecutive Women's Doubles Titles: Martina Navratilova, Pam Shriver

Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver hold the record for most consecutive Women's Doubles titles at seven.

The two won from 1982 through 1989 with the obvious exception being in 1986 when the tournament was moved from December to January, meaning that no tournament was held in 1986.

Navratilova had already won once in 1980, so she has the record for most Women's Doubles titles since 1969 with eight.

Navratilova and Shriver made a formidable pair, and their record for most consecutive Women's Doubles titles is the most ever, including before 1969. This is one of very few records to have been broken since 1969.

Winner of Most Total Championships: Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova won 12 titles in her career, which is the most for a woman or a man since 1969.

Her career spanned from 1980 to 2003, in which she won a title in all three major events. She won eight Women's Doubles, three Women's Singles and one Mixed Doubles.

One of the best women to ever play the game, Navratilova found an incredible amount of success Down Under.

Longest Women's Match in Grand Slam History

When Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova met in Round 4 of the 2011 Australian Open neither signed up for the longest women's match in Grand Slam history, but they played it anyway.

Schiavone won the first set 6-4 before Kuznetsova won the second 6-1. The two entered the third and final set determined to win, but it was Schiavone who prevailed in a 16-14 victory, braving six match points to win and earn a trip to the quarterfinals.

The match lasted four hours and 44 minutes, which made it the longest women's match in Grand Slam history.

Last Grand Slam to Open

This may not be as much of a record as it is an interesting fact, but the Australian Open was the fourth and final Grand Slam to open to professionals.

While the other three Grand Slams opened in 1968, the Australian Open did so in 1969.

The Australian Open has provided some of the most memorable moments in tennis history, and it is truly one of the best events in all of sports.

Follow @JoshSchoch