Melbourne [Australia], December 21 (ANI): World No.1 Iga Swiatek leads the entry list for next year's Australian Open, which is based on the WTA rankings of the week beginning December 5, WTA announced on Wednesday.
Reigning French Open and US Open champion Swiatek is one of 13 current or former Grand Slam winners who have entered the first major of 2023, which begins on January 16 in Melbourne. The Pole, who reached her first Australian Open semifinal this year, will be bidding to add a fourth Grand Slam title to her haul so far.
Victoria Azarenka (2012-13), Naomi Osaka (2019, 2021), and Sofia Kenin (2020) are among the former Australian Open champions, as are three former Australian Open runners-up, Petra Kvitova (2019), Garbie Muguruza (2020), and Danielle Collins (2022). Ashleigh Barty, this year's champion, retired from professional tennis in March and will not defend her title.
Alongside Swiatek, Azarenka, Osaka, Kenin, Kvitova and Muguruza, the remaining roster of Grand Slam champions with direct entry comprises Jelena Ostapenko, Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina, Sloane Stephens, Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu. Additionally, seven-time major winner Venus Williams will compete as a wild card.
Nineteen of the world's top twenty are competing, with the exception of the temporarily suspended Simona Halep.
Kenin, who is presently ranked No.240 and is making a comeback after an injury-plagued season, is one of 11 players who are using a special ranking to join the main draw. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Marketa Vondrousova are two previous Grand Slam finals, as are Karolina Muchova, Nadia Podoroska, Laura Siegemund, Jaqueline Cristian, Patricia Maria Tig, Evgeniya Rodina, Zheng Saisai, and Kristina Kucova.
No.95-ranked Ysaline Bonaventure is the final player to be admitted directly into the main draw. In the event of withdrawals, Harriet Dart, Kateryna Baindl, Dayana Yastremska, Alycia Parks, and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova would be the next five players in.
The qualifying entrance list has also been announced, based on the December 19 rankings, with World No.219 Anastasia Gasanova being the last original direct admittance. Six players have entered the qualifying draw using special rankings: Eugenie Bouchard, Zoe Hives, Katarina Zavatska, Barbara Haas, Kathinka Von Deichmann, and Arina Rodionova. Sophie Chang, Robin Montgomery, Rosa Vicens Mas, Katherine Sebov, and Ekaterine Gorgodze are the top five alternatives. (ANI)