Andy Murray and Thanasi Kokkinakis among Australian Open wildcard recipients

Superstar Brit Andy Murray is returning to the Australian Open as a wildcard entrant as he continues his tennis comeback from major hip surgery last year.

Scotland’s Andy Murray has received an Australian Open wildcard

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.

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.

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.