Stan Wawrinka has snagged a wild card for the 2025 Australian Open.
Wild cards in tennis are handed out for various reasons, sometimes to legendary players who can attract big audiences, and other times to young stars needing experience. Players from Australia, France, Britain, and the USA often have a leg up since they might get wild cards even if their rankings don’t quite make the cut.
Reciprocal wildcards are part of an agreement between Tennis Australia, the French Tennis Federation (FTF), and the United States Tennis Association (USTA). These organizations swap wild cards so players from each country can compete in major tournaments. For instance, at the Australian Open, one men’s and one women’s singles spot will be filled by USTA picks . Meanwhile, FTF’s choices remain under wraps but USTA is expected to select Nishesh Basavareddy and Iva Jovic.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ch Stan Wawrinka | 39 | 633 | 3 - 8 |
Wild Card Surprises:
The Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off recently wrapped up with Zhang Shuai from China and Kasidit Samrej from Thailand earning their spots. Fans might think this adds an exciting twist to the competition. Stan Wawrinka also received a wildcard directly from Australian Open organizers. At 39 years old and ranked 162nd globally, he cherishes Melbourne as it marks his first Grand Slam victory back in 2014. “I’m incredibly grateful to receive a wildcard into the Australian Open in 2025,” he said warmly about returning to such a cherished venue.
James McCabe, Tristan Schoolkate, and Li Tu were among other Australians given wild cards for men’s singles at this prestigious event. On the women’s side, Talia Gibson, Maya Joint, Emerson Jones got theirs too; two seasoned WTA players also joined them – Daria Saville along with Ajla Tomljanovic who aims beyond her previous second-round barrier here.
Ajla expressed her joy saying: “There’s no better feeling than playing in Melbourne in front of all the Aussie fans.” What do you think about these choices?
