Arina Rodionova hits out after being snubbed for Australian Open wildcard

Australia’s top-ranked female player has missed out on an Australian Open wildcard despite nine locals earning a berth in the main draw at Melbourne Park. HAVE YOUR SAY.

Australia's Arina Rodionova has missed out on a wildcard.

The top-ranked Aussie female will have to fight through qualifying to feature at the Australian Open after she was overlooked for a main draw wildcard on Friday.

“I wish I could say I am surprised” was Arina Rodionova’s response after she was passed over for the final female wildcard spot, which instead went to Aussie former world No. 20 Daria Saville.

Tennis Australia on Friday announced that Saville, Jason Kubler and James McCabe had been handed the remaining Australian Open wildcards, leaving Rodionova with no choice but to fight through qualifying at her home Grand Slam.

The 34-year-old Melburnian is currently the top-ranked Australian female player at No. 113 in the world.

She rose to a career-high ranking last year off the back of seven ITF tournament titles and 79 victories.

Arina Rodionova has missed out on a wildcard to the Australian Open.

I wish I could say I am surprised 😅
But honestly. The satisfaction of achieving it all absolutely on your own, despite all this stuff… it is worth it. I will see you guys at AO qualies in couple of days and I am PUMPED for this 😈 LFG https://t.co/H5zC48KYi6

— Arina Rodionova (@arinarodionova) January 5, 2024

Rodionova continued her strong form at the Brisbane International this week, where she shocked 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the second round.

Her Brisbane International run was ended on Thursday by 16-year-old Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva.

She was the final Aussie woman in the main draw, after Saville and Oliva Gadecki were both knocked out on Wednesday.

“I wish I could say I am surprised,” Rodionova posted to X on Friday.

“But honestly. The satisfaction of achieving it all absolutely on your own, despite all this stuff … it is worth it. I will see you guys at AO qualifies in (a) couple of days and I am PUMPED for this.”

Daria Saville has been given a wildcard into the main draw. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Saville has twice made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open, in 2016 and 2017.

Currently ranked 206th in the world, the 29-year-old is on the comeback trail from a knee injury that forced her to miss much of the 2023 season.

Following her upset win over Kenin this week, Rodionova said: “If it was up to me I would give it to myself, but I think there are other people involved.

“Hopefully they like the way I’m playing this week and hopefully they like that I won I don’t know how many matches last year.

“I’ve done all the hard work to put myself in the best position. There’s nothing else I could have done to get myself closer. I’ve pushed really hard the whole year.

“If they’re not happy then there’s nothing else I can do. It’s out of my hands.”

Terrible injustice for Arina Rodionova.

— JEU DÉCISIF (@jeudecisif_off) January 5, 2024

While I really like Dasha a ton, why did TA waited to so long to announce the final WC? If they were never going to give it to Rodionova, then it should have been announced earlier. Arina outperformed Dasha in Brisbane. Arina is playing great tennis, and hopefully will qualify!

— Mitch (@carnesy56) January 5, 2024

Rodionova was knocked out in the first round of qualifying at last year’s Australian Open.

Her highest finish at Melbourne Park was a second-round appearance in 2020.

Of the 16 available Australian Open wildcards, nine went to Aussies.

James Duckworth, Marc Polmans, Adam Walter, Kubler and McCabe on the men’s side, and Kimberly Birrell, Taylah Preston, Gadecki and Saville for the women.