Australian commercial law firm Middletons has announed it has entered its sixth year as the official supplier of legal services for the Australian Open, a partnership that is now confirmed for another four years.

The Australian Tennis Open is the first of the four annual Grand Slam tennis tournaments around the world - the other three being the US Open, French Open and Wimbledon.

Middletons national managing partner Nick Nichola said, "This is one of Australia's and the world's greatest sporting events, with the best players from around the globe competing for the title.

Middletons has become synonymous with the tennis and feedback from both clients and staff has been enormously positive over many years." Mr Nichola said, "It is a great honour to be named the Official Supplier of Legal Services to the Australian Open for the sixth year in a row."

The Australian Open is one of the largest sporting events in the world and dominates the Australian sporting landscape in January, eclipsing even test cricket for crowds and television ratings.

Middletons supports Tennis Australia's existing in-house legal team by providing strategic advice in respect of its Australian Open tournament and broader organisational operations in areas of law including television and multi- media broadcasting contracts, domestic and international global sponsorship deals, licensing schemes, supply arrangements, taxation and stamp duty, employment law and commercial litigation.

The ATP World Tour recently stated, "The Australian Open typically has very high attendance, with the 2010 Australian Open achieving the highest ever single-day day/night attendance record for any Grand Slam tournament of 77,043 and an overall attendance of 653,860." The 2011 Australian Open will mark the 99th staging of the event.

Middletons continues to outperform the market having won the prestigious BRW ANZ "Private Business of the Year" award for 2010. The BRW ANZ Private Business Awards formally recognise the outstanding achievements of private businesses, and acknowledge the significant and valuable contribution they make to the Australian economy.