There is nothing better to warm you up during the cold weather in January than watching the hot tennis being played in Melbourne at the Australian Open. With temperatures near, and sometimes exceeding, the 100-degree mark, the first major is also one of the most physically challenging tournaments of the year.

Tennis fans can count on round-the-clock coverage with both ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel coming together to bring fans all the action. Also, since the start times are late night and early morning, it might be best to check out the broadband offering at both ESPN3.com and Tennischannel.com to keep up with the action.

Broadband ESPN3.com will offer 600 hours, all live, with users choosing between action on seven courts with all matches available on-demand after completion.

The best broadcast team in tennis will on ce again be led by Cliff Drysdale -- who has been with ESPN since its first tennis telecast in 1979 -- and the great Dick Enberg on ESPN2. Chris Fowler will again host and call select matches, with former ABC7 sports anchor Chris McKendry also hosting. Darren Cahill, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Patrick McEnroe return as analysts, as well as Baltimore's own Pam Shriver, who will primarily serve as a courtside and studio reporter.

As for the Tennis Channel, they will be a great compliment to the ESPN2 coverage -- serving up 30 hours of live coverage of the 2011 Australian Open. They will also offer an additional 75 hours of the daily morning show "Australian Open Today."

Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova has become one of my favorite broadcasters and will be in the booth for the Tennis Channel, as she has been for each of the network's grand slam broadcasts. She will resume her role as lead commentator in Melbourne, again pairing with veteran sportscaster Bill Macatee.

They have become an entertaining duo and this year the network has added to their traveling team the talented Lindsay Davenport. She will be appearing in feature material, roaming the tournament grounds and handling sideline and interview duties.

Between the two networks and ESPN3, there is round-the-clock great tennis coverage.

Examiner columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this!