French Open: Australians Ajla Tomljanovic and Adam Walton earn wildcards

Australia’s top women’s player has received welcome news ahead of the French Open along with an underrated men’s prospect.

Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic has received a wildcard into the main draw at Roland Garros. Picture: Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP

Australian star Ajla Tomljanovic’s comeback is picking up steam after the 31-year-old was awarded a main draw wildcard at Roland Garros.

Tomljanovic, who returned to tennis this week after recovering from surgery in February, was handed a wildcard along with Queenslander Adam Walton, who will make his French Open debut later this month.

Walton’s ranking has rocketed up 60 places since the start of the year as the 25-year-old claimed wins in 14 of his last 18 matches.

“This will be my first time at Roland Garros and I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to play main draw,” Walton said.

Queensland’s Adam Walton will join eight other Australian men in the main draw. Picture: Megan Briggs / Getty Images

He will join a cohort of nine Australian men led by Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson in the main draw as five others go through qualifying, which begins on May 20.

Tomljanovic reached a career-high No.32 in the world in March 2023 after she was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open the year before.

But illness and a serious knee injury derailed her 2023 before she put playing on hold following this year’s Australian Open to have surgery to remove non-cancerous growths from her uterus.

Ajla Tomljanovic reached No.32 in the world early last year – the highest rank of her career – but injury and illness has caused that to slip to 219. Picture: David Gray / AFP

The French Open campaign will be the ninth of her career, with her best finish a fourth-round appearance in 2014.

“I’m excited to be back playing and so grateful to have the opportunity to play Roland Garros. I’m looking forward to getting out there and doing my best,” Tomljanovic said.

The Croatian-born right-hander returned to the WTA circuit in Parma on Monday and beat Italian Nura Brancaccio 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to reach a round-of-16 clash to be played late on Wednesday night.

Daria Saville was the only Australian to automatically qualify for the main draw, but there are eight Aussie women in qualifying, including in-form veteran Arina Rodionova and highly rated youngsters Tayla Preston and Olivia Gadecki.