Heading into his final season on the ATP Tour, 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka has been given the wild-card at the Australian Open as he returns to the site of the first of his three career Grand Slam titles. Back in 2014 when ranked World No 3, Wawrinka defeated Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarterfinals and went all the way before claiming the French Open in 2015 and U.S. Open in 2016.
Operating in the Fedal and Djokovic eras, the Swiss player tallied 16 career titles and $38 million in winnings.
‘Winning the Australian Open in 2014, my first Grand Slam title, is an absolute career highlight for me, so I’m incredibly grateful to receive this wild card,’ Wawrinka declared after the announcement. Wawrinka made the finals of United Cup for Switzerland at Sydney and will take on Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, after Belinda Bencic rescued Switzerland agsinst Belgium, as Wawrinka fell to Zizou Bergs.
‘To have the chance to play the Australian Open at the beginning of my final year on tour means the world to me.’
Also extended the wildcard albeit in doubles was Australian Nick Kyrgios. Plagued by injuries the past three seasons, he received a wild-card entry into the doubles’ competition of his home event. He will partner with countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis.
‘After some good conversations with Tennis Australia I’ve made the call to focus on doubles for this year’s AO,’ Kyrgios wrote on social media. ‘I’m fit and back on court, but five-setters are a different beast and I’m not quite ready to go the distance yet.’
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