The 2025 season is rapidly approaching, signaling one exciting event for tennis enthusiasts – the upcoming Australian Open. As per tradition, players won’t have to wait long for their initial opportunity to seize a Grand Slam title. Action kicks off at Melbourne Park on January 12, with Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka entering as the […]
The 2025 season is rapidly approaching, signaling one exciting event for tennis enthusiasts – the upcoming Australian Open.
As per tradition, players won’t have to wait long for their initial opportunity to seize a Grand Slam title.
Action kicks off at Melbourne Park on January 12, with Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka entering as the reigning champions.
They will be accompanied by 12 competitors who will participate in the Australian Open utilizing their protected ranking, having been away from the sport for an extended period.
The 12 competitors set to play at the 2025 Australian Open with a protected ranking
They will face tough competition from players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina, all of whom are still seeking their first title in Australia.
Furthermore, they will need to consider six men and six women entering with a protected ranking who have now been confirmed.
ATP
- Nick Kyrgios
- Pablo Carreno Busta
- Reilly Opelka
- Kei Nishikori
- Jenson Brooksby
- Dominic Stricker
WTA
- Belinda Bencic
- Katie McNally
- Julia Grabher
- Jodie Burrage
- Zheng Saisai
- Danka Kovinic
According to regulations, athletes who have suffered injuries for an extensive time may apply to utilize their protected ranking instead of being granted a wildcard.
Players like Nick Kyrgios will make his return to the Australian Open for the first time since 2022, and seasoned player Kei Nishikori aims to recapture the form that took him to the quarter-finals in Melbourne four times.
More Tennis News
Which American athletes are set to compete at the 2025 Australian Open with a protected ranking?
There are three representatives from the United States who will take part in the 2025 Australian Open with their protected ranking.
Among them, two players from the ATP Tour include Reilly Opelka and Jenson Brooksby. Opelka, who currently holds a ranking of 293, faced significant injury issues, remaining inactive for eight months before his return in July.
He is eager to rediscover his form and aims to make a notable impact at the Australian Open, marking his first appearance since 2022.
Brooksby was absent from the 2023 Australian Open but is set to participate in 2025. The 24-year-old received an 18-month suspension, which was set to last until January 2025 due to missing three doping tests.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency shortened the suspension to 13 months, making him eligible to compete. Nevertheless, he has not participated in matches since his last appearance at Melbourne Park almost two years ago.
From the WTA Tour, Katie McNally is preparing to play at the Australian Open after recently recovering from elbow surgery.
After a nine-month hiatus, she returned to competition at a WTA 125k event in November, focusing on her conditioning and match fitness ahead of the Grand Slam.
Currently, she is competing at an ITF event in the US, with a quarter-final match against Britain’s Hannah Klugman scheduled for Friday.
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