Melbourne, Jan 9 (NationPress) Stan Wawrinka, a former champion, along with Australians Jordan Thompson and Chris O’Connell, have received wildcards for the main draw of the Australian Open, which is set to commence on January 18 at Melbourne Park.

Wawrinka clinched his first of three Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open in 2014, a year that saw him rise to a peak ranking of world No.3. He has also made it to the semifinals in 2015 and 2017, in addition to reaching the quarterfinals in 2020.

This upcoming tournament will mark Wawrinka's 20th participation in singles at the Australian Open. In the previous year, he was narrowly defeated in the first round by Lorenzo Sonego in four closely contested sets. Since 2006, he has only missed one edition of the tournament and has progressed to the quarterfinals on five occasions.

According to the ATP Win/Loss Index, Wawrinka boasts a 43-18 record at the Australian Open. The 40-year-old Swiss tennis star recently announced that 2026 will be his final year on the ATP Tour.

“Claiming the Australian Open in 2014 was a monumental highlight in my career, so I am truly thankful for this wildcard,” expressed Wawrinka, who also secured victories at Roland Garros in 2015 and the 2016 US Open.

“Playing in the AO at the start of my last year on tour is incredibly meaningful to me. I extend my gratitude to Tennis Australia for this chance and am eager to return to the court at Melbourne Park,” he added.

Jordan Thompson made his debut in the Australian Open main draw in the same year Wawrinka won and is currently working his way back from injuries.

The former world No.26 endured back pain during Wimbledon, where he still managed to reach the fourth round, but he had a limited playing schedule for the remainder of 2025.

Currently ranked 113th, Thompson aims to reach the third round for the first time at Melbourne Park, a milestone he has achieved at the other three major tournaments.

“I am incredibly thankful for the wildcard into my home Slam and look forward to competing in front of my favorite fans,” Thompson remarked.

On the other hand, the 2026 Australian Open will be O’Connell’s eighth appearance in the tournament's main draw, with his best achievement being a third-round finish in 2022.

After cutting his season short in October, O’Connell made a promising return at the Brisbane International earlier this month, just missing out on qualifying for the main draw.

“After dealing with injuries towards the end of last year and needing to shorten my season, I feel fit and healthy now. I am extremely thankful to Tennis Australia for the chance to compete in the main draw,” O’Connell stated.