In view of the 2021 Australian Open, which is due to take place from February 8 to 21, the tournament organization announced on Thursday the names of six Australian players (two men and four women) who will participate in the first Grand Slam of the year, via a wild card.
For six Australians, it’s Christmas ahead of time. Indeed, on the eve of December 25, Australian Open organizers have announced the first six wild cards for the 2021 tournament. Thus, Christopher O’Connell (120th worldwide) and Marc Polmans (124th) will be, except injury, at the rendezvous in the men’s table, while Daria Gavrilova (450th), Astra Sharma (129th), Maddison Inglis (130th) and Lizette Cabrera (140th) will be present in the 1st round of the women’s table.
” While 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year, we are proud of the strength and resilience this group of players have shown during this difficult time. They have inspired us all with their efforts on and off the pitch, here at home and in unprecedented conditions abroad. We are delighted to give them the opportunity to participate in the 2021 Australian Open “, Explained Craig Tiley, director of the tournament, which should normally take place from February 8 to 21 this year.
“Excited to face some of the best players in the world”
After this great end-of-year news, O’Connell and Gavrilova were necessarily happy with this invitation to the first Grand Slam of the season. ” I was super motivated after receiving the call. I was lucky enough to receive a wild card last year and it was an incredible experience. I am extremely excited to play another Australian Open and face some of the best players in the world. », Confided the current 120th of the ATP ranking.
” I’m really excited to play in the OA next year. I have been training really hard to prepare and I am just super excited to have the opportunity to compete especially in front of a crowd we haven’t had this in a while, for his part said the one returning from a year marked by injuries, after being 20th in the WTA. I’m going to make sure I can bring in double the energy, so hopefully the crowd will too. »Note that there are still 10 wild cards to be awarded (six men and four women) and that the Australian Federation will not have to use the system with the French Federation (FFT) and the American Federation (USTA) this year for the latter.
