Kokkinakis earns AO wildcard selection

Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis was the surprise wildcard selection for the Australian Open on Saturday, after a standout week in Adelaide that saw him make the semifinals after wins over John Millman, fourth seed Frances Tiafoe and Mikael Ymer.

The South Australian, 25, joins fellow Aussies Aleksandar Vukic, Alex Bolt and Chris O’Connell as main draw wildcards, as well as four-time runner-up Andy Murray, Frenchman Lucas Pouille, American Stefan Kozlov and former junior world No.1 Tseng Chun-hsin, of Chinese Taipei.

Kokkinakis will make his sixth appearance in the Australian Open main draw, where he has reached the second round three times.

In the women’s singles Priscilla Hon grabbed a wildcard spot and she joins fellow Australians Storm Sanders, Daria Saville, Maddison Inglis and Sam Stosur in the main event.

“I feel really thankful. I’ve worked really hard to be a contender for the wildcard and actually receiving it means so much to me,” Hon said.

Fiona Ferro and Robin Anderson will also take their place in the main draw as wildcards, while Chinese 20-year-old Xiyu Wang will make her Melbourne Park debut.