Jason Kubler, Rinky Hijikata and Storm Hunter are among six Australians to receive Australian Open 2023 main draw singles wildcards.
Melbourne, Australia, 21 December 2022 | tennis.com.au
Alexei Popyrin, Jason Kubler, Rinky Hijikata, Storm Hunter, Talia Gibson and Olivia Gadecki will compete at Australian Open 2023 after being awarded main-draw wildcards.
The six Aussies will take their places among the 128-player singles fields at Melbourne Park for the season’s first major tournament, set for 16-29 January 2023.
While Popyrin has already twice reached the third round of the Australian Open, the other five wildcard entrants are seeking their first singles wins at their home Grand Slam.
Hunter (nee Sanders) came extremely close at AO 2022 when she led Aryna Sabalenka by a set and a break at Rod Laver Arena before the No.2 seed lifted to win in three sets.
Yet this was just the beginning of what was a memorable year for Hunter; she won three doubles titles and capped the season by winning three of four singles rubbers for Australia at the Billie Jean King Cup finals – a performance which saw her voted as the Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award winner.
“I’m super excited to receive a wildcard into the Australian Open,” said Hunter. “Thank you to the Tennis Australia team for this amazing opportunity. I’m incredibly grateful to have the chance to play at home and want to continue playing at the level I was able to play at during the Billie Jean King Cup.”
The 28-year-old lefty enters the new season full of confidence and with increasing experience at the top level, possessing a potent game that no player will want to face in the opening round.
So too does Hijikata, the talented 21-year-old who energised the night-time Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd when he took the opening set off Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2022.
The Spanish legend went on to triumph in four sets, but it was nevertheless an impressive Grand Slam debut for Hijikata, who this season slashed his ranking from world No.375 to No.164.
He was able to do so by winning more than 50 matches and reaching four finals on the lower-tier Futures and ATP Challenger circuits.
“I’m really grateful to Tennis Australia giving me the opportunity to compete at my home Slam,” Hijikata said. “It’s a tournament I’ve watched since I was a kid and always dreamt of one day playing. It’s going to mean the world to me to step on court in front of a home crowd…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Tennis.com.au – Tennis Australia…