MELBOURNE, December 5, 2018 (Press Release)
The world’s top 102 women and top 101 men have all confirmed they will compete at Australian Open 2019 in Melbourne in January.
World No.1 Simona Halep (ROU) heads up the women’s field, with Novak Djokovic (SRB) leading the men’s, and targeting a record seventh Australian Open crown.
Serena Williams (USA), currently ranked No.16, will make her highly anticipated return to Melbourne for the first time since winning in 2017 when eight-weeks pregnant with baby Alexis Olympia, and at world No.3, Caroline Wozniacki will be focussed on defending her 2018 Australian Open title.
Superstars [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) and [4] Roger Federer (SUI) will be back, and after a frustrating few years of injury, Andy Murray (GBR) has entered the AO using his protected ranking of No.2.
The only absentee from the women’s draw is Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanskawho recently announced her retirement. Entering on protected rankings are [23*] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI), [32*] Laura Siegemund (GER) and [90*]Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA).
Joining [2*] Andy Murray (GBR) with protected rankings are [88*] Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) and [90*] Steve Darcis (BEL).
Ten Australian’s have direct entry into the main draw, with [15] Ashleigh Bartyand [31] Alex de Minaur leading the charge.
Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley is looking forward to welcoming the players to Melbourne, and unveiling the world’s best player facilities.
“It’s an exciting time of year and we can’t wait to welcome this exceptionally strong player field to Melbourne for Australian Open 2019.
“It’s always special to see our defending champions – Caroline (Wozniacki) had her first Grand Slam win here last year so will be keen to start 2019 on a high. And of course Roger Federer has special memories of Melbourne, having won here six times, something only Novak (Djokovic) and Roy Emerson have done in the past.
“On the women’s side we’ve seen a number of new champions in 2018. Naomi Osaka started her path to Grand Slam glory right here in Melbourne, reaching the fourth round, and building to win the US Open. And after making the final here it was wonderful to see Simona (Halep) win at Roland Garros, and our own 2016 champion Angie Kerber win at Wimbledon.
“After an incredible end-of-season run this year Novak will be full of confidence. He’s a fan favourite here and loves the conditions in Melbourne. I’ve been in touch with Rafa and he’s back to full fitness after cutting his season short after Paris and can’t wait to arrive in Australia.
“And there are so many contenders who have the game, fitness and ability to break through on the men’s side.
“Kei Nishikori has had an incredible year, as have Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson. The young guns Sasha Zverev, Dominic Thiem, David Goffin and Stefanos Tsitsipas are all on the cusp of a breakthrough at this level.
“The players will see huge changes onsite in January, with what we believe are the best player facilities in world sport.
“We have a new ‘Player Pod’ – a massive new four-storey structure beside Rod Laver Arena – and we can’t wait to unveil it in 2019. Everything from new locker rooms, restaurants and lounges, medical, treatment and training facilities have been designed with the players’ comfort and convenience in mind.”
Men’s entry list:
1 DJOKOVIC, Novak SRB 1
2 NADAL, Rafael ESP 2
3 MURRAY, Andy GBR 2PR
4 FEDERER, Roger SUI 3
5 ZVEREV, Alexander GER 4
6 DEL POTRO, Juan Martin ARG 5
7 ANDERSON, Kevin RSA 6
8 CILIC, Marin CRO 7
9 THIEM, Dominic AUT 8
10 NISHIKORI, Kei JPN 9
11 ISNER, John USA 10
12 KHACHANOV, Karen RUS 11
13 CORIC, Borna CRO 12
14 FOGNINI, Fabio ITA 13
15 EDMUND, Kyle GBR 14
16 TSITSIPAS, Stefanos GRE 15
17 MEDVEDEV, Daniil RUS 16
18 SCHWARTZMAN, Diego ARG 17
19 RAONIC, Milos CAN 18
20 DIMITROV, Grigor BUL 19
21 CECCHINATO, Marco ITA 20
22 BASILASHVILI, Nikoloz GEO 21
23 GOFFIN, David BEL 22
24 CARRENO BUSTA, Pablo ESP 23
25 BAUTISTA AGUT, Roberto ESP 24
26 CHUNG, Hyeon KOR 25
27 GASQUET, Richard FRA 26
28 SHAPOVALOV, Denis CAN 27
29 VERDASCO, Fernando ESP 28
30 MONFILS, Gael FRA 29
31 SIMON, Gilles FRA 30
32 DE MINAUR, Alex AUS 31
33 POUILLE, Lucas FRA 32
34 JOHNSON, Steve USA 33
35 KOHLSCHREIBER, Philipp GER 34
36 KYRGIOS, Nick AUS 35
37 FUCSOVICS, Marton HUN 36
38 SEPPI, Andreas ITA 37
39 MILLMAN, John AUS 38
40 TIAFOE, Frances USA 39
41 CHARDY, Jeremy FRA 40
42 KLIZAN, Martin SVK 41
43 MANNARINO, Adrian FRA 42
44 JARRY, Nicolas CHI 43
45 SOUSA, Joao POR 44
46 JAZIRI, Malek TUN 45
47 EBDEN, Matthew AUS 46
48 DZUMHUR, Damir BIH 47
49 LAJOVIC, Dusan SRB 48
50 FRITZ, Taylor USA 49
51 HAASE, Robin NED 50
52 QUERREY, Sam USA 51
53 PAIRE, Benoit FRA 52
54 KUKUSHKIN, Mikhail KAZ 53
55 BERRETTINI, Matteo ITA 54
56 HERBERT, Pierre-Hugues FRA 55
57 MAYER, Leonardo ARG 56
58 STRUFF, Jan-Lennard GER 57
59 PELLA, Guido ARG 58
60 GOJOWCZYK, Peter GER 59
61 COPIL, Marius ROU 60
62 SANDGREN, Tennys USA 61
63 HARRISON, Ryan USA 62
64 KUDLA, Denis USA 63
65 LOPEZ, Feliciano ESP 64
66 RAMOS-VINOLAS, Albert ESP 65
67 WAWRINKA, Stan SUI 66
68 BEDENE, Aljaz SLO 67
69 RUBLEV, Andrey RUS 68
70 ZVEREV, Mischa GER 69
71 POSPISIL, Vasek CAN 70
72 BERDYCH, Tomas CZE 71
73 THOMPSON, Jordan AUS 72
74 CARBALLES BAENA, Roberto ESP 73
75 MARTERER, Maximilian GER 74
76 NISHIOKA, Yoshihito JPN 75
77 KLAHN, Bradley USA 76
78 DANIEL, Taro JPN 77
79 MCDONALD, Mackenzie USA 78
80 ANDREOZZI, Guido ARG 79
81 DELBONIS, Federico ARG 80
82 MUNAR, Jaume ESP 81
83 ANDUJAR, Pablo ESP 82
84 TOMIC, Bernard AUS 83
85 GARIN, Christian CHI 84
86 KOVALIK, Jozef SVK 85
87 HURKACZ, Hubert POL 86
88 BASIC, Mirza BIH 87
89 CUEVAS, Pablo URU 88
90 TIPSAREVIC, Janko SRB 88PR
91 VESELY, Jiri CZE 89
92 NORRIE, Cameron GBR 90
93 DARCIS, Steve BEL 90PR
94 IVASHKA, Ilya BLR 91
95 ISTOMIN, Denis UZB 92
96 DJERE, Laslo SRB 93
97 KRAJINOVIC, Filip SRB 94
98 GULBIS, Ernests LAT 95
99 GRANOLLERS, Marcel ESP 96
100 DONSKOY, Evgeny RUS 97
101 ALBOT, Radu MDA 98
102 OPELKA, Reilly USA 99
103 KARLOVIC, Ivo CRO 100
104 FABBIANO, Thomas ITA 101
