Australian Open: Andy Murray among second round of 2021 wildcards

Andy Murray will avoid having to qualify for his return to the Australian Open as the latest round of wildcards was announced. Who else got a gig?

Andy Murray has been awarded a wildcard into the 2021 Aus Open. Picture: Getty Images

Former world No.1 Andy Murray will be spared having to qualify for next month’s Australian Open, with the three-times grand slam champion accepting a wildcard.

It’s the continuation of Murray’s remarkable fightback from major hip surgery, after he revealed in an emotion-charged press conference in Melbourne last year that he was going to retire after Wimbledon.

Murray was defeated in the first round of the 2019 Aus Open. Picture: Getty Images

Not only have those plans been put on the backburner, but the popular 33-year-old Brit has fought his way up to No.122 in the world rankings.

Murray’s upset defeat of star German Alex Zverev four months ago, plus a five-set win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka at the US Open in September, proved he still had more to give.

“As a five-time finalist, he has been an integral part of so many amazing matches and storylines in the recent history of the Australian Open,” tournament director Craig Tiley said.

“His retirement was an emotional moment and seeing him come back, having undergone major surgery and built himself back up to get onto the tour again, will be a highlight of AO 2021.”

Murray will start the 2021 season at Delray Beach, where he also received a wildcard, before heading to Melbourne to contest the Australian Open, which begins on February 8.

He joins talented South Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis as the highest-profile players among the latest batch of wildcards.

Thanasi Kokkinakis missed the 2020 tournament due to glandular fever. Picture: AAP

Kokkinakis, 24, returns to the Melbourne Park event after a bout of glandular fever forced him to withdraw from this year’s tournament.

It was another setback in an injury-cursed career to date, but the one-time world No.69 – now ranked 260 – hopes the worst is behind him.

“I’m super happy and thankful to have gotten a wildcard into the AO,” Kokkinakis said.

“I was shattered I couldn’t play this year due to illness, but I’m feeling great now and can’t wait to get out in front of the home crowd and have some fun.”

Fellow Australians Alex Bolt, Aleks Vukic, Destanee Aiava and Arina Rodionova also secured main draw wildcards, while India’s Sumit Nagal and China’s Wang Xiyu are the Asia-Pacific wildcard recipients.

Bolt eliminated Jack Sock and Gilles Simon in a surprising third-round run at the 2019 Australian Open, then stretched eventual runner-up Dominic Thiem to five sets in round two this year.

There is one wildcard left in each draw, with Sam Stosur and Alexei Popyrin the leading contenders if they miss direct entry, although Priscilla Hon is another.

Daria Gavrilova, Astra Sharma, Chris O’Connell, Maddison Inglis, Lizette Cabrera and Marc Polmans were revealed before Christmas as the first Open wildcards.

Australians Jason Kubler, Max Purcell, Akira Santillan, Blake Mott, Tristan Schoolkate, Rinky Hijikata and Dane Sweeny, as well as 2020 boys’ champion Harold Mayot, scored men’s qualifying wildcards.

Abbie Myers, Seone Mendez, Storm Sanders, Ivana Popovic, Olivia Gadecki, Charlotte Kempenaers-Pocz, Alexandra Bozovic and reigning girls’ winner Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva received women’s qualifying wildcards.

Men’s qualifying will be held in Doha and the women’s equivalent is in Dubai, both from January 10-13.

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Former top-20 star Daria Gavrilova has scored a wildcard into next year’s Australian Open in a major boost to her comeback hopes.

Gavrilova is one of six initial wildcard recipients joining fellow Australians Chris O’Connell, Marc Polmans, Astra Sharma, Maddison Inglis and Lizette Cabrera in being guaranteed a main draw berth.

The 26-year-old surged into the fourth round at the 2016 and 2017 Australian Opens amid a career purple patch where she reached No.20 in the WTA rankings.

Gavrilova sunk to a decade-long rankings low of No.788 in late September, after undergoing surgery for Achilles and plantar fasciitis issues that ruined her 2019 season. They were devastating blows to a player who relies so much on her movement.

Daria Gavrilova at the 2018 Australian Open. Picture: AAP

Those injuries sidelined her from this year’s Open, but a first-round French Open victory over top-30-ranked Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska was a reminder of her ability.

Gavrilova has also won two UTR Pro Tennis Series events in Melbourne since November as she rounds back into form from her torrid injury run.

“I’ve been training really hard to prepare and I’m just super excited to get the opportunity to compete, especially in front of a crowd – we haven’t had that for a while,” Gavrilova said.

“I was thinking the other day that Victorians have had such a rough year with the (COVID-19) pandemic, so I’m hoping the AO is a good chance for people to come out and watch, and be excited that tennis is back.

Chris O'Connell at full stretch. Picture: Michael Klein

“I’m going to make sure I bring double the energy, so I hope the crowd will, too.”

Gavrilova’s partner Luke Saville reached the 2020 Australian Open men’s doubles final with countryman Max Purcell.

The other wildcard recipients are nestled inside the top 150, including 26-year-old O’Connell, who reached a career-best ranking of No.111 following his maiden Grand Slam win at the US Open in September. He’s overcome his own injury setbacks throughout his career to now be within touching distance of the world’s elite.

“I was super pumped to get the call. I was lucky enough to receive a wildcard last year and it was an amazing experience,” O’Connell said.

“I’m extremely excited to play in another Australian Open and compete against some of the best players in the world.”

No wildcard needed for world No.1 Ash Barty.

Alex de Minaur, John Millman, Nick Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson and James Duckworth made the men’s draw off their ranking, as did world No.1 Ash Barty and Ajla Tomljanovic on the women’s side.

Sam Stosur and Alexei Popyrin could also sneak in, but would receive a wildcard if not.

However, players such as Thanasi Kokkinakis, Priscilla Hon, Destanee Aiava, Alex Bolt and big-improver Aleks Vukic will have to wait longer to discover their fate.

The Australian Open will be held at Melbourne Park from February 8-21.

Originally published as Australian Open: Andy Murray among second round of 2021 wildcards