The 2011 Australian Open [ Images ] will offer a record A$25 million ($24.2 million) prize money, up 3.8 per cent on the previous year, with the men's and women's winners to each pocket A$2.2 million.

Rafa Nadal's [ Images ] bid for a non-calendar grand slam will headline the tennis calendar's first grand slam of the season and the Spaniard would stand to earn A$1.1 million as runner-up if he falls short by a match, Tennis Australia [ Images ] said in a release on Tuesday.

"It is a mouth-watering proposition, and he certainly will be one of the favourites," tournament director Craig Tiley said.

"But I think Rafa himself would be the first to point out that at the moment it is all just speculation and there are a lot of tough opponents, including the reigning champion Roger Federer [ Images ], standing between him and that place in history."

The tournament's other major focus will be whether 13-time grand slam winner Serena Williams [ Images ] can defend her title after a long layoff from a foot injury.

The American had surgery after she cut her foot on broken glass at a restaurant in July and was forced to pull out of hardcourt tournaments in Tokyo last week and Beijing [ Images ] this week after not being ready to compete.

The grand slam's organisers also announced a 10-year extension of their rights deal with Walt Disney [ Images ] Co's ESPN to broadcast the tennis in North and South America.

Tickets for the January 17-30 Australian Open go on sale on Wednesday.