Rising star Olivia Gadecki will make her eagerly awaited Australian Open debut after being certainly one of six locals awarded a wildcard into their residence grand slam.
Alexei Popyrin, Jason Kubler, Rinky Hijikata, Storm Hunter and Talia Gibson may also compete in Melbourne with wildcards.
Gadecki introduced herself on the massive stage in 2021 when she upset then-defending Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on the Phillip Island Trophy at Melbourne Park.
Mentored by retired champion Ash Barty, Gadecki sat out final 12 months’s Open after declining to get vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
But the 20-year-old will little doubt draw a crowd when she makes her main-draw debut on the AO – which runs from January 16-29 – after spectacular features on the ITF circuit in 2022.
Gadecki reached three consecutive finals on the Australian Pro Tour early within the 12 months and in June gained two rounds of qualifying to succeed in the primary draw on the WTA occasion in ‘s-Hertogenbosch within the Netherlands.
The Queenslander reached the semi-finals in her final occasion of the 12 months in Sydney to shut the season with a formidable 37-18 win-loss document.
While Popyrin has already twice reached the third spherical of the Australian Open, the opposite 5 wildcard entrants are in search of their first singles wins at their residence main.
Hunter (nee Sanders) got here extraordinarily shut in 2022 when she led Aryna Sabalenka by a set and a break at Rod Laver Arena earlier than the No.2 seed lifted to win in three units.
That was only the start of a memorable 12 months for Hunter, who gained three doubles titles and capped the season by successful three of 4 singles rubbers for Australia on the Billie Jean King Cup finals.
Hijikata energised the night-time Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd when he took the opening set off Rafael Nadal on the US Open in September.
The Spanish legend went on to triumph in 4 units, nevertheless it was nonetheless a formidable grand slam debut for 21-year-old Hijikata, who this season slashed his rating from world No.375 to sixty fourth.
He did so by successful greater than 50 matches and reaching 4 finals on the lower-tier Futures and Challenger circuits.
Fellow young-gun Gibson will likely be making her main debut at AO 2023, and like Hijikata gained 50 matches on the secondary ITF circuit.
The 18-year-old, who was named Junior Female Athlete of the Year on the current Newcombe Medal Australian Tennis Awards, started 2022 effectively exterior the highest 1000 however has soared to a high-mark of world No.342.
Kubler loved an exceptional comeback season, together with his first journey to the second week of a significant, which he achieved at Wimbledon after coming by means of the qualifying rounds.
He additionally reached the second spherical at Roland Garros and the US Open.
