Wildcard Entries to the 2013 Australian Open

Find out who received wildcards for the 2013 Australian Open.

2013 Australian Open Wildcard Entries

In addition to direct entries and qualifiers there are eight Australian Open wildcards for both the men’s and women’s draw.

Wildcards are awarded to:

• the winners of the Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off and Australian Play-off
• two players selected by both the US Open and French Open under a reciprocal arrangement
• and discretionary selections by the Australian Open.

The 2013 Wildcards have been awarded to (Australian unless stated):

Men

• John Millman – Discretionary
• James Duckworth – Discretionary
• John-Patrick Smith – Discretionary
• Benjamin Mitchell – AO Play-off winner
• Luke Saville – Discretionary
• Wu Di (CHN) – Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off winner
• Rhyne Williams (USA) – US Open reciprocal
• Josselin Ouanna (FRA) – French Open reciprocal

Women

Review of Wildcard Entrants

Here’s a review of the form of this year’s wildcard entrants from last year’s Australian Open and the start of the 2013 tennis season.

World rankings are sourced from the ATP for men and WTA for women, both as at 6 January 2013.

Men

John Millman (world ranking 199)

Millman will debut in grand slam events at the 2013 Australian Open.

After beating Tatsuma Ito in the first round of the Brisbane International Millman succumbed to Andy Murray in three sets in the second round. Millman beat Tommy Robredo in the first round of the APIA International Sydney 6-3, 6-4 before succumbing to Andreas Seppi 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Plays Tatsuma Ito in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

James Duckworth (world ranking 209)

In 2012 Duckworth made the second round of Australian Open, his only men’s singles grand slam event to date, going out to Tisparevic in four sets 3-6, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.

Duckworth lost in the second qualifying round of the 2013 Brisbane International to Igor Kunitsyn. In the first round of the APIA International in Sydney Denis Istomin defeated Duckworth 6-7, 6-4, 7-6.

Plays Ben Mitchell in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

John-Patrick Smith (world ranking 244)

The 2013 Australian Open will be Smith’s first singles grand slam event.

Denis Kudla defeated Smith in the first qualifying round at the Brisbane International. Smith was defeated by Joao Sousa in the final round of qualifying to the main draw of the APIA International Sydney.

Plays Joao Sousa in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Ben Mitchell (world ranking 327)

Mitchell earnt a wild card entry to the main draw with victory in the Australian Open December Showdown beating Matt Reid in four sets. View more pics of Ben Mitchell in the AO Wildcard Play-offs.

2013 will be Mitchell’s third Australian Open. Best singles performance is the first round.

Mitchell lost in the first round of the 2013 Brisbane International to Marcos Baghdatis. Alex Bolt defeated Mitchell in the first qualifying round of APIA Sydney International.

Plays James Duckworth in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Luke Saville (world ranking 349)

Saville’s only grand slam appearance to date is the 2012 Australian Open, where he was defeated in the first round. (He won boy’s singles at Wimbledon in 2011 and at the Australian Open in 2012).

John Millman defeated Saville in the first qualifying round of the 2013 Brisbane International. Tatsuma Ito beat Saville in the first qualifying round of the APIA International Sydney.

Plays Go Soeda in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Wu Di (CHN) – Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off winner (world ranking 185)

The 2013 Australian Open will be Wu Di’s grand slam debut.

Ivo Minar defeated Wu Di in the second qualifying round of the Brisbane International. Wu Di lost to Blaz Vavcic in the second qualifying round of the APIA International Sydney.

Plays Ivan Dodig in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Rhyne Williams – US Open reciprocal (world ranking 194)

Williams made his grand slam debut at the 2012 US Open. The 2013 Australian Open is William’s first year in the main draw.

Frank Dancevic defeated Williams in the first round of the Brisbane International. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat Williams in the third round of qualifying for the APIA International Sydney.

Plays Florian Mayer in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Josselin Ouanna – French Open reciprocal (world ranking 119)

Ouanna will make his Australian Open debut in 2013. The third round of the 2009 French Open is Ouanna’s best grand slam performance to date.

Plays Alejandro Falla in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Women

Olivia Rogowska (world ranking 113)

In 2012 Rogowska made it to the second round of the Australian Open. 2012 was her fourth appearance at the Australian Open and the frist time making it past the first round.

Monica Puig beat Rogowska in the first round of the 2013 Brisbane International. Maria Kirilenko defeated Rogowka in the first round of the APIA International Sydney.

Plays a qualifier in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Ashleigh Barty (world ranking 175)

Barty debuted in grand slam events at the 2012 Australian Open going out in the first round. She also experienced first round losses at last year’s French Open and Wimbledon after receiving wild card entry. (Barty won junior Wimbledon in 2011, the same year as Luke Saville).

Barty replaced the injured Casey Dellacqua in Australia’s 2013 Hopman Cup team. In the Hopman Cup singles matches Barty was one set down when her opponent Andrea Petkovic withdrew; lost to Anna Ivanovic 6-2, 6-3 and defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-0, 6-3.

In the first round of the Moorilla Hobart International Barty was defeated by Mona Barthel 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Plays APIA International finalist Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Jamila Gajdosova (world ranking 183)

Awarded a wildcard in 2013, this will be Gajdosova’s eighth appearance at the Australian Open. Gajdosova is yet to make it past the first round. In 2010 Gajdosova made the fourth round at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

After beating Roberta Vinci in the first round of the 2013 Brisbane International Gajdosova lost to Leisa Tsurenko in her next match. Gajdosova defeated Romina Oprandi in the first round of the Moorilla Hobart International. This was followed by victory over Olga Govortsova. Gajdosova was defeated 6-3, 6-2 by finalist Elena Vesnina in the quarterfinals.

Plays Yanina Wickmayer in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Sacha Jones (world ranking 173)

Jones is making her grand slam debut at the 2013 Australian Open.

Nina Bratchikova beat Jones in the second qualifying round for the 2013 Moorilla Hobart International.

Plays Kristyna Pliskova in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Bojana Bobusic (world ranking 331)

Bobusic won the women’s Australian Open December showdown beating Monique Adamczak 6-1, 6-3.

2012 was Bobusic’s debut at the Australian Open going out in the first round.

Bobusic lost to Alize Cornet in the first round of the 2013 Brisbane International after making it through qualifying.

Plays number 4 seed and APIA International winner Agnieszka Radwanska in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Madison Keys – US Open Reciprocal (world ranking 135)

The 2013 Australian Open will be Keys second consecutive appearance, after losing in the first round in 2012.

Luksika Kumkhum defeated Keys in the second qualifying round at the 2013 ASB Classic Auckland.

Keys qualified for the main draw of the APIA Sydney International defeating Lucie Safarova and Jie Zheng in the first and second rounds respectively. Setting up a quarter-final against Na Li, where she was defeated 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.

Plays Casey Dellacqua in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Caroline Garcia – French Open Reciprocal (world ranking 182)

Garcia made the second round of the 2011 Australian Open, her only appearance to date.

Garcia lost in the first qualifying round of the APIA International Sydney to Marina Erakovic.

Plays Elena Vesnina in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Yuxuan Zhang (CHN) – Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off winner (world ranking 368)

Plays Jie Zheng in the first round of the 2013 Australian Open.

Until next time

Grand Slam Gal

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