The 2016 Australian Open wildcard playoffs and entries was a group of events and internal selections to choose the eight men and eight women singles wildcard entries for the 2016 Australian Open, as well as seven male and seven female doubles teams plus eight mixed doubles teams.
One wildcard each was given to the winners of the Australian Open Wildcard Playoff, a tournament between Australian players who did not receive direct entry into the draw. This took place from 14 to 20 December 2015.
In an agreement with the United States Tennis Association and the French Tennis Federation, Tennis Australia gives one man and one woman from the United States and France each a wildcard into the Australian Open. The French players were chosen by internal selection, while USTA awarded the entry to the player with the most points over three pre-selected events in USA over October and November 2015.
Since the Australian Open is promoted as the "Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific", one male and one female player from this geographical area were awarded a wildcard. This was decided through the Asia-Pacific Australian Open Wildcard Playoff. At the same event, one male and one female doubles team won wildcards, and one wildcard each was contested in boys and girls singles. This took place from 2 to 6 December 2015.
Remaining wildcards were awarded by internal Australian selection.
For the first time, a new initiative was put in place for rewarding women's wildcards. A wildcard race was put in place by Tennis Australia to offer the highest Australian points earner from the 2015 Canberra Tennis International and 2015 Bendigo Women's International a main draw wildcard. The singles wildcard was won by Tammi Patterson and the doubles wildcard was won by Jessica Moore and Storm Sanders. Also for the first time, the winner of the girls' 18 and under national championships was rewarded a main draw wildcard.
Wildcard entries
Men's singles Country Name Method of QualificationYoshihito NishiokaAsia-Pacific Wildcard PlayoffQuentin HalysFrench internal selectionNoah RubinAmerican Wildcard ChallengeJames DuckworthAustralian Wildcard PlayoffLleyton HewittAustralian internal selectionOmar JasikaAustralian internal selectionMatthew EbdenAustralian internal selectionJordan ThompsonAustralian internal selection
Women's singles Country Name Method of QualificationHan XinyunAsia-Pacific Wildcard PlayoffOcéane DodinFrench internal selectionSamantha CrawfordAmerican Wildcard ChallengeTammi PattersonAustralian Wildcard ChallengeMaddison InglisAustralian Wildcard PlayoffPriscilla HonAustralian 18/u ChampionKimberly BirrellAustralian internal selectionStorm SandersAustralian internal selection
Men's doubles Country Name Method of Qualification Hsieh Cheng-peng Yang Tsung-huaAsia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff Alex Bolt Andrew WhittingtonAustralian internal selection James Duckworth John MillmanAustralian internal selection Sam Groth Lleyton HewittAustralian internal selection Omar Jasika Nick KyrgiosAustralian internal selection Austin Krajicek Donald YoungAustralian internal selection Luke Saville John-Patrick SmithAustralian internal selection
Women's doubles Country Name Method of Qualification Shuko Aoyama Makoto NinomiyaAsia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff Jessica Moore Storm SandersAustralian Wildcard Challenge Alison Bai Naiktha BainsAustralian internal selection Kimberly Birrell Priscilla HonAustralian internal selection Daniela Hantuchová Jarmila WolfeAustralian internal selection Tammi Patterson Olivia RogowskaAustralian internal selection Ellen Perez Belinda WoolcockAustralian internal selection
Mixed doubles
Country Name Method of Qualification Kimberly Birrell John MillmanAustralian internal selection Daria Gavrilova Luke SavilleAustralian internal selection Maddison Inglis Benjamin MitchellAustralian internal selection Jessica Moore Marc PolmansAustralian internal selection Anastasia Rodionova Chris GuccioneAustralian internal selection Arina Rodionova Matt ReidAustralian internal selection Ajla Tomljanović Nick KyrgiosAustralian internal selection Zheng Saisai Chung HyeonAustralian internal selection
Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff The Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff events took place in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China from Monday, November 30 to Sunday, December 6, 2015. A total of 26 male and 30 female players from Asia/Pacific zone took part in singles events (including qualifying competitions), with Yoshihito Nishioka from Japan and Han Xinyun from China gaining the Australian Open entry. Both doubles events consisted of 18 male and 19 female teams, with Hsieh Cheng-peng & Yang Tsung-hua and Shuko Aoyama & Makoto Ninomiya winning the wild cards. Junior playoff events were also held, and Chinese players Mu Tao and Wang Xiyu won the wild card entries into the Boys' and Girls' main events, respectively.
Men's singles
Women's singles
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
Australian Wildcard Playoff The December Showdown was held between 5 and 20 December. This Showdown included the Wildcard Playoff as well as 18/u, 16/u, 14/u and 12/u National Championships. The men's wildcard playoff was won by top seed James Duckworth who defeated Benjamin Mitchell in the final by a walkover. Mitchell was forced to pull out of the final to be in Brisbane with his partner whom was due to give birth. The women's wildcard playoff was won by unseeded teen Maddison Inglis, who defeated newlywed Arina Rodionova in the final.
Men's singles
Women's singles
NB: Kimberly Birrell was the number 5 seed, but withdrew prior to the commencement of play.
Girls' singles For the first time in Australian Open history, the winner of the girls' 18/U Championships will receive a main draw wildcard into the 2016 Australian Open. The wildcard was won by top seed Priscilla Hon who defeated wildcard playoff winner Maddison Inglis in the final.
NB: Kimberly Birrell was the number 2 seed.
Mixed doubles The 'Win a Wildcard' competition held by Tennis Australia allowed any person over the age of 16 entry into the competition. State championships were held across the period of November and December and the finals were held at Melbourne Park on 20 December. The entire competition was played using the Fast4 Tennis method. The competition was won by Bradley Mousley and Jessica Moore who had secured a wildcard into the 2016 Australian Open mixed doubles event. However, Mousley withdrew from the event, and Moore partnered Marc Polmans.
References
External links Asia Pacific Men's Singles draw Asia Pacific Women's Singles draw Asia Pacific Men's Doubles draw Asia Pacific Women's Doubles draw 18/u Girls' Singles National Championships draw Men's Singles wildcard playoff draw Women's Singles wildcard playoff draw Mixed Doubles wildcard playoff draw