Former champion Stan Wawrinka, along with Australdigihunt Jordan Thompson and Chris O’Connell, has been awarded wildcards for the Australian Open main draw, which begins January 18 at Melbourne Park.
Wawrinka’s Return to the Australian Open
Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2014, a year in which he reached a career-high ranking of world No. 3. He also made it to the semifinals in 2015 and 2017 and advanced to the quarterfinals in 2020.
This will mark Wawrinka’s 20th appearance in singles at the Australian Open. Last year, he lost in four tight sets in the first round to Lorenzo Sonego. Since 2006, he has only missed one edition of the tournament and has reached the quarter-finals five times. Wawrinka holds a 43-18 record at the Australian Open, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.
The 40-year-old Swiss recently announced that 2026 will be his last year competing on the ATP Tour. Wawrinka expressed his gratitude for the wildcard, stating, “Winning the Australian Open in 2014, my first Grand Slam title, is an absolute career highlight for me, so I’m incredibly grateful to receive this wildcard. To have the chance to play the AO at the beginning of my final year on tour means the world to me. Thank you to Tennis Australia for the opportunity and I can’t wait to be back out on court at Melbourne Park.”
Thompson’s Journey
Jordan Thompson debuted in the Australian Open main draw the same year Wawrinka triumphed and is working his way back from injuries. The former world No. 26 experienced back pain at Wimbledon but still reached the fourth round, though he played a limited schedule for the remainder of 2025.
Now ranked 113th, Thompson aims to reach the third round for the first time at Melbourne Park, a round he has already achieved at the other three majors. “I’m super grateful for the wildcard into my home Slam and looking forward to playing in front of my favourite crowd,” Thompson said.
O’Connell’s Aspirations
For Chris O’Connell, the Australian Open 2026 will be his eighth appearance in the main draw, with his best result being a third-round finish in 2022. After ending his season early in October, he made a promising return at the Brisbane International earlier this month, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the main draw.
“After struggling with injuries toward the end of last year and having to cut my season short, I’m now feeling fit and healthy. I’m extremely grateful to Tennis Australia for the opportunity to compete in the main draw,” O’Connell stated.