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Roger Vaughan

Kyrgios still waiting as four Open wildcards named

Priscilla Hon is among four local players to receive Australian Open wildcard berths. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

Nick Kyrgios remains without an Australian Open entry, with Priscilla Hon headlining the four locals to receive wildcard berths for next month's grand slam.

Monday's announcement comes a day after Kyrgios received a wildcard entry for the January 4-11 Brisbane International.

But more Australian Open wildcards will be announced ahead of the Open main draw, which starts on January 18.

Kyrgios, beset by injuries and four rounds of knee and wrist surgeries, has played just six ATP Tour matches in more than three years.

Nick Kyrgios.
Nick Kyrgios will be hoping for a wild card entry to the Australian Open. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

The wildcards were given to Hon, Rinky Hijikata, Talia Gibson and Taylah Preston.

Hon, 27, reached the third round of a grand slam for the first time this year, upsetting 17th seed Liudmila Samsonova at the US Open after winning three qualifying matches just to make the main draw.

Her ranking also reached the top 100 for the first time, climbing as high as 94 in October before ending the year 119th.

Hon also qualified for Wimbledon and reached the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing, along with taking out ITF W75 tournaments in Brisbane and Romania.

She was a nominee for Tennis Australia's Newcombe Medal, won by Alex de Minaur.

"I pushed my body hard to try and avoid needing one (a wildcard), but I'm very thankful," she said.

"I'm proud to represent Australia and can't wait to see how far I can go."

Rinky Hijikata.
Rinky Hijikata will make his fourth straight appearance in the Australian Open's main draw. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)

Hijikata's 2025 season highlight came in doubles, when he reached the Wimbledon final with Dutch partner David Pel.

This will be his fourth straight Australian Open in the main singles draw.

Preston won 31 of her last 37 matches this year, boosting her ranking from 259 to 199.

Gibson was picked in Australia's Billie Jean Cup team for the first time this year and her ranking went as high as 105th in August.

She won her first grand slam main draw match at this year's Australian Open.

French players Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah and Kyrian Jacquet also have wildcard entries.

Australia now has eight men and eight women in the Open singles draws.

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