Maria Sharapova And Grigor Dimitrov Arrive In Melbourne For The Australian Open

Fresh from her season-opening Women's Tennis Association, or WTA event in Brisbane, Maria Sharapova has arrived in Melbourne for the 2015 Australian Open. Sharapova was joined by her mother and boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov.

Mail Online has caught some exclusive snaps when Sharapova and Dimitrov arrived in Melbourne. Sharapova and Dimitrov were both dressed casually as they haul their luggage and tennis equipment through arrivals.

Sharapova and Dimitrov both took part in the 2015 Brisbane International. Sharapova kicked off her 2015 season strongly by winning the Brisbane title after beating Serbian Ana Ivanovic in the finals, 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3, on Jan. 10. It was Sharapova's 34th career title. Sharapova, the 2008 Australian Open champion and two-time runner-up (2007 and 2012), has put on an impressive performance in Brisbane, which makes her one of the favourite players to win the first Grand Slam title of 2015.

Dimitrov, on the other hand, has reached the top four in men's singles in Brisbane. He lost to Federer in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Australian Open is the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2015 tennis season. It is a two-week tennis tournament, which will begin on Jan. 19 and close on Feb. 1. It features some of the world's greatest players including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams.

This year, the Australian Open organization has increased the prize money of the tournament to a historic-high $40 million. The winners of men's singles and women's singles matches will reportedly get $3.1 million, according to a statement posted on the tournament's site. The player who will get ousted in the first round would get as much as $34,500. Tennis Australian Chief Executive Officer Craig Tiley said that the reason for the boost in prize money was influenced by their determination to "improve the pay and the conditions of life on the international tennis tour."

The Australian Open tournament was the first Grand Slam tennis event to increase its prize money from $26 million to $30 million in 2013. In 2014, the prize money has been increased to $33 million. As early as October 2014, there have been talks about increasing the prize money to $36.5 million.

Australian Open Prize Money Timeline

2007 $20,000,000

2008 $20,600,000

2009 $23,140,000

2010 $24,094,000

2011 $25,005,635

2012 $26,000,000

2013 $30,000,000

2014 $33,000,000

2015 $40,000,000

To reach the author of this article, email r.corpuz@IBTimes.com.au.