Wild About the Wildcards

Discretionary wildcards for the Australian Open have just been announced! I held off writing for today until they had been, due to having not much else to say.

There aren't any epically huge surprises. As we know, the playoff winners were Casey Dellacqua and Nick Lindahl, so they're in. Discretionaries in the women go to Alicia Molik and Olivia Rogowska. Gee, I am surprised there. There's still one more to be announced - presumably closer to the date - which I am really hoping goes to Monika Wejnert. But I don't think it will surprise anyone that Molik and Rogowska get these cards. Rogowska is definitely the player that deserves it most, based on her play over the last year. And if Tennis Australia is going to refuse a name like Molik...

Over to the men, and we have cards for Bernard Tomic (my brother saw me write this, and said 'yeah! he rules!' then told me I had to write it down, so I did), Carsten Ball and Jason Kubler. I had completely forgotten about the existence of Carsten Ball, but he did do pretty well on the ATP tour - he made a final at tour level and must have been pretty close to making main draw anyway. (But why didn't he play the playoff? Lame.)

I would have thought for sure that the remaining wildcard would go to Brydan Klein, but I am totally delighted about the fact that it went to Jason Kubler. Kubler is sixteen and one of the nation's brightest stars - I understand he was a bit of a junior Davis Cup hero. Great work on this one, Craig Tiley - really awesome choice! I think this'll probably be Kubler's first tour level match, and what better place for it to come than at the Open.

There is also one more male wildcard to be handed out closer to the date. I think it'll probably go to Brydan Klein, but I would love to see it go to Greg Jones. His play at the December Showdown totally merits it.