Dominic Thiem, the US Open winner in 2020, has secured a place in the main draw of the Australian Open following the withdrawal of Reilly Opelka, as confirmed by tournament organisers on Friday.
Thiem, who recently lost to Rafael Nadal in the first round of the Brisbane International, will now directly enter the first round of the Australian Open starting on January 14, avoiding the need to go through the qualifiers.
The 30-year-old Austrian, ranked 98th, made headlines by breaking the Grand Slam dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic with his victory at the 2020 US Open.
However, he faced a setback due to a wrist injury in the following year, sidelining him for several months. Thiem reached the Australian Open final in 2020, losing to Djokovic, and is looking to make an impact in the upcoming tournament.
(With Reuters inputs)
