By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Dominic Thiem, Emma Raducanu and David Goffin are among the stars set to play in next month's Australian Open qualifying tournament.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Grand Slam champions aim to play their way into the Happy Slam.
Former US Open champions Dominic Thiem and Emma Raducanu headline the field for the Australian Open qualifying tournament, which starts on January 8th.
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The 30-year-old Thiem, who rallied past Alexander Zverev to win the 2020 US Open title, could gain entry main-draw entry if a player currently in the main draw withdraws.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a storm of shot-making from Thiem and mid-match dizziness fighting back for a 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph in a gripping 2020 Australian Open final to capture his 17th career Grand Slam championship.
Since contesting the 2020 Australian Open, Thiem has posted a 3-2 record in Melbourne Park reaching the 2021 round of 16 and falling to Andrey Rublev in the 2023 AO first round.
The 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, who underwent ankle surgery and surgeries to both wrists last May, eyes a competitive comeback in 2024. Raducanu, who celebrated her 21st birthday on November 13th, wrapped an injury-plagued 2023 season posting a 5-5 record.
Currently ranked No. 298, Raducanu will tune-up for the AO qualifying launching a long-anticipated comeback in Auckland at the ASB Classic, January 1-7th.
Reigning Wimbledon and Roland Garros doubles champion Hsieh Su-Wei, former quarterfinalists Kaia Kanepi and Alize Cornet and Aussies Storm Hunter, Arina Rodionova, Daria Saville, Astra Sharma, Priscilla Hon, Jaimee Fourlis and Destanee Aiava are among the notable names in the women's qualifying field.
David Goffin, Diego Schwartzman, Benoit Paire, Maxime Cressy and John Millman, who plans to retire after the Australian Open are all threats in the men's qualifying tournament.