Stosur set to equal Australian Open record

2 years ago 374

Former US Open champion Sam Stosur volition contention her 20th Australian Open aft being announced arsenic a main gully wildcard for the expansive slam.

Stosur's feat volition adjacent Lleyton Hewitt's grounds for the astir appearances astatine the tournament, the now-37-year-old making her Open debut successful 2000.

Fellow Australians Daria Saville (née Gavrilova), Storm Sanders and Maddison Inglis were besides announced arsenic wildcard recipients, with much spots inactive to beryllium revealed.

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Tournament manager Craig Tiley said Stosur deserved the accidental to play what is expected to beryllium her last Australian Open aft an illustrious career.

"It was a no-brainer, enactment it that way," helium said.

Sam Stosur aft she was announced arsenic a wildcard recipient for January's Australian Open. (Getty)

"She deserves it. She's a expansive slam champion. She's a fable of Australian tennis.

"We'd emotion her to beforehand and decorativeness connected a beardown note… [but] I wouldn't beryllium amazed if she keeps playing.

"She said this is astir apt going to beryllium the end, but we'll see.

"We're precise arrogant of the information that she has that opportunity."

Tiley besides provided an update connected COVID-19 measures that volition beryllium successful spot for the event, including the availability of aesculapian exceptions to a "very tiny percentage" of players.

Last year's champion Novak Djokovic has frankincense acold refused to corroborate whether oregon not helium has received the jab.

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Australian Open champions: Past winners of Grand Slam from 2000 tourney onwards

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