Aussie youngster Taylah Preston will be hoping some pre-season hits with the country's top-ranked woman Maya Joint can pay dividends at her second Australian Open.
The 20-year-old and her 21-year-old compatriot Talia Gibson were on Friday granted wildcards for the lead-up Hobart International tournament which begins Monday.
The pair also have wildcards for the Australian Open starting on January 18.
Preston, who made her Billie Jean King Cup debut in 2024 becoming the first Australian teenage debutant to win a singles match since Ash Barty in 2013, spent her pre-season in Brisbane.
World No.205, Preston was on the practice court with some of Australia's top-100 women, including No.32 Joint.
Outside the top 100 at the time, boom teenager Joint had a run of upsets at Hobart in 2025 to make the semi-finals.
"All the Aussie girls, we get along really well," Preston, a top-10 junior, said.
"I love it when we're travelling internationally and there is someone from home who makes it feel a little less far away. It's a really great group of girls."
Preston made her grand slam debut at the 2024 Australian Open, losing to former world No.3 Elina Svitolina in straight sets in the opening round.
She has started her 2026 campaign in qualifying at the Brisbane International where she beat world No.100 Oksana Selekhmeteva before losing to No.79 Zhang Shuai in three sets.
"(I feel) my level is good enough to hold up in the top 100," Preston said.
"To have a top 100 win and then a three-set battle, gives me a bit more confidence.
"Hopefully I can keep on working on my game playing against some higher-ranked opponents and testing myself."
Gibson, ranked 113, won her first grand slam match at the 2025 Australian Open and also qualified for Wimbledon.
The Hobart field is headed by two-time winner and world No.20 Elise Mertens.
It also includes 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu, dual grand slam champion Barbora Krejcikova and 45-year-old former world No.1 Venus Williams.
