Who sponsors the Australian Open 2023? All you need to know about the various partners of the first Grand Slam of the year

The first Grand Slam of the 2023 season is right around the corner, as the 2023 Australian Open will be contested from January 16 to 29 at Melbourne Park.

Last year's men's champion Rafael Nadal is the top seed and will be looking to defend his title and extend his Grand Slam tally to 23. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz suffered a leg injury during a practice session and therefore had to withdraw from the event.

Another player to look out for at the Australian Open will be nine-time champion Novak Djokovic. The Serb was deported last year because he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus but is set to feature in this year's tournament.

On the WTA tour, World No.1 Iga Swiatek will start as the favorite after an unbelievable 2022 season. Two-time winner Naomi Osaka also withdrew from the event and recently revealed that she is expecting her first child.

There will be numerous stars on show at the "Happy Slam" including Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jessica Pegula, Nick Kyrgios, Coco Gauff, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Frances Tiafoe, Caroline Garcia, and Holger Rune.

As far as the sponsors are concerned, Kia will be the main sponsor for the season's first Major. A total of 130 Kia vehicles will provide transportation to players and officials during the tournament. The event will feature Rolex, Emirates, and Luzhou Laojiao as the associate partners.

Other partners of the 2023 Australian Open include Mastercard, ANZ, The City of Melbourne, Yonex, Infosys, Chubb Insurance, Gordon’s, Polo, Bondi Sands, Canadian Club, Chemist Warehouse, Dunlop, Grainshaker, Life-Space, Marriott Bonvoy, Penfolds, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Piper-Heidsieck, SafetyCulture, Somersby Australia, Squealing Pig, TMGM, and CyberCX.

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Rafael Nadal attends ceremony to announce the extension of partnership between Australian Open and Kia

Rafael Nadal during a charity event ahead of the Australian Open

Kia began its partnership with the Australian Open in 2002 and recently extended the deal until 2028. The tournament's major partner recently held an official vehicle handover ceremony in Melbourne's Federation Square on January 10, which was attended by Kia's global brand ambassador Rafael Nadal.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion from Spain has been in association with Kia since 2004, even before he won his first Grand Slam title. In 2020, when the automobile brand extended its partnership with Nadal, he said:

"Kia has been by my side since I was 17 years old. It has played a big part in my journey as a professional tennis player and as a person."