By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, December 6, 2024
Photo: Sarah Reed/Getty
Familiar faces will make the Happy Slam return next month.
The new mother Belinda Bencic and AO 2022 doubles champion Nick Kyrgios Both will play the 2025 Australian Open in protected rankings, the tournament announced.
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The 27-year-old Bencic, who gave birth to daughter Bella on April 23, is a 2019 US Open semifinalist.
In her final season of Grand Slam competition in 2023, Bencic reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios will begin his return to Tour level in Brisbane next month in preparation for his long-awaited return to the AO. Kyrgios teamed up with good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis at the 2022 Australian Open doubles championship.
The 29-year-old Kyrgios, whose last singles match at Tour level was a defeat in Stuttgart in June 2023, is one of six men to play the Australian Open in the protected rankings.
He was number 4 in the world Kei Nishikori, Pablo Carreno Busta, Reilly Opelka, Jenson Brooksby and Dominic Stricker are all on the AO 2025 entry list using protected rankings.
The main draw entry limit for both men’s and women’s singles is 98. There are 11 Australian women featured in the main draw with Alex de Minaur tops the list of top 10 Australian men.
Jannik the Sinner is the reigning AO men’s champion and Aryna Sabalenka is the two-time defending AO women’s champion.
The 2025 Australian Open is set for January 12-26.
The three-round AO qualifying tournament is scheduled to take place on January 6-9.
