TENNIS • AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2018 • FULL PLAYERS ENTRY LIST • TOP 100 ALL PLAYING • TICKETS ON SALE

Written by: Staff on 16th December 2017

TENNIS • AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2018 • FULL PLAYERS ENTRY LIST • TOP 100 ALL PLAYING • TICKETS ON SALE

epa05758533 General view ofn Rod Laver Arena during the final match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 January 2017. EPA/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

World’s best ready for Australian Open 2018

The world’s top 100 men and 98 women are confirmed for Australian Open 2018.

Reigning champion Serena Williams (USA) is anticipated to return after giving birth to her first child in September. She also has an eye on the record books as she begins her campaign for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles and seventh Australian Open title.

New world No.1 Simona Halep (ROU) and sixteen-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will be top seeds in Melbourne.

The all-star player field will also feature the return of Novak Djokovic (SRB), Andy Murray (GBR), Kei Nishikori (JPN) and Stan Wawrinka (SUI).

Missing from the women’s draw are No.12 Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) who withdrew following wrist surgery and Saisai Zheng (CHN) with a continuing right knee injury.

Players expected to use protected rankings include Queensland’s John Millman (AUS), Ricardas Berankis (LTU), Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) and Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN).

On the women’s side Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER), Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) and Kristina Kucova (SVK) will enter on protected rankings.

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley is looking forward to welcoming the world’s best players to Melbourne in January.

“We have yet another strong field for Australian Open 2018 led by new world number one Simona Halep and former champion Rafa Nadal.

“Last year’s tournament broke all of the records and we look forward to welcoming back new mum Serena [Williams] as she attempts to equal Margaret Court’s 24 Grand Slams.

“We are definitely a family friendly event and many players including reigning champion Roger Federer travel with their children to Melbourne so we remain optimistic that she will return.

“We have been in regular contact with Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka, who are all set for the Aussie summer. They will all have lower rankings meaning there’s a real chance we’ll finally see a breakthrough from one of the rising stars like Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem or David Goffin.

“The player facilities have been extensively upgraded with a new hub located within Rod Laver Arena. New player services for 2018 include a fully underground drop-off area with two new entry points as well as all services centralised to make it even easier to cater for players’ needs,” Tiley continued.

There will be 16 male qualifiers and 12 female qualifiers added to each draw, along with eight wildcards.

Women’s Main Draw Wildcards (As at 8 December 2017)

US reciprocal:	KRISTY AHN (USA)
French reciprocal:	JESSICA PONCHET (FRA)
Asia Pacific Play-off:	XINYU WANG (CHN)
Australian Pro Tour:	OLIVIA ROGOWSKA (AUS)
18/u Australian Girls’:	TBC
Play-off:	TBC
Discretionary x 2:	TBC

Men’s Main Draw Wildcards (As at 8 December 2017)

US reciprocal:	TIM SMYCZEK (USA)
French reciprocal:	CORENTIN MOUTET (FRA)
Asia Pacific Play-off:	SOON WOO KWON (KOR)
Discretionary:	THANASI KOKKINAKIS (AUS)
Play-off	TBC
Discretionary x 3:	TBC

WOMEN’S MAIN DRAW ACCEPTANCE LIST

WTA RANK	FIRST NAME	LAST NAME	NATION
1	SIMONA	HALEP	ROU
2	GARBIÑE	MUGURUZA	ESP
3	CAROLINE	WOZNIACKI	DEN
4	KAROLINA	PLISKOVA	CZE
5	VENUS	WILLIAMS	USA
6	ELINA	SVITOLINA	UKR
7	JELENA	OSTAPENKO	LAT
8	CAROLINE	GARCIA	FRA
9	JOHANNA	KONTA	GBR
10	COCO	VANDEWEGHE	USA
11	KRISTINA	MLADENOVIC	FRA
13	SLOANE	STEPHENS	USA
14	JULIA	GOERGES	GER
15	ANASTASIA	PAVLYUCHENKOVA	RUS
16	ANASTASIJA	SEVASTOVA	LAT
17	ASHLEIGH	BARTY	AUS
18	ELENA	VESNINA	RUS
19	MADISON	KEYS	USA
20	MAGDALENA	RYBARIKOVA	SVK
21	ANGELIQUE	KERBER	GER
22	SERENA	WILLIAMS	USA
23	BARBORA	STRYCOVA	CZE
24	DARIA	KASATKINA	RUS
25	DARIA	GAVRILOVA	AUS
26	DOMINIKA	CIBULKOVA	SVK
27	SHUAI	PENG	CHN
28	AGNIESZKA	RADWANSKA	POL
29	PETRA	KVITOVA	CZE
30	LUCIE	SAFAROVA	CZE
31	KIKI	BERTENS	NED
32	MIRJANA	LUCIC-BARONI	CRO
33	EKATERINA	MAKAROVA	RUS
34	ANETT	KONTAVEIT	EST
35	SHUAI	ZHANG	CHN
36	ELISE	MERTENS	BEL
37	SORANA	CIRSTEA	ROU
38	ALIZÉ	CORNET	FRA
39	TIMEA	BACSINSZKY	SUI
40	CARLA	SUÁREZ NAVARRO	ESP
41	SAMANTHA	STOSUR	AUS
42	LESIA	TSURENKO	UKR
43	IRINA-CAMELIA	BEGU	ROU
44	ANA	KONJUH	CRO
45	QIANG	WANG	CHN
46	TATJANA	MARIA	GER
47	MONA	BARTHEL	GER
48	KATERINA	SINIAKOVA	CZE
49	LAUREN	DAVIS	USA
50	CARINA	WITTHOEFT	GER
50*	ANNA-LENA	FRIEDSAM	GER
51	YULIA	PUTINTSEVA	KAZ
52	MARIA	SAKKARI	GRE
53	ALEKSANDRA	KRUNIC	SRB
54	DONNA	VEKIC	CRO
55	NATALIA	VIKHLYANTSEVA	RUS
56	TIMEA	BABOS	HUN
57	MONICA	PUIG	PUR
58	SHELBY	ROGERS	USA
59	MIHAELA	BUZARNESCU	ROU
60	MARIA	SHARAPOVA	RUS
61	CATHERINE	BELLIS	USA
62	KRISTYNA	PLISKOVA	CZE
62*	MARGARITA	GASPARYAN	RUS
63	VARVARA	LEPCHENKO	USA
64	CHRISTINA	MCHALE	USA
65	JENNIFER	BRADY	USA
66	ZARINA	DIYAS	KAZ