The Australian Open entry list is officially out, and Britain’s Katie Boulter has just missed out on making it into the main draw. The 29-year-old has dropped to No. 106 in the world after a tough season marred by injuries, and opted not to compete for more ranking points at recent WTA 125 events, prioritising her body and recovery. With several players using protected rankings to enter the Australian Open, the last direct acceptance into the women’s singles field was world No. 103 Leolia Jeanjean.
Former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova is among those using an injury-protected ranking to compete in Melbourne Park next month. A former semi-finalist at the Australian Open, it will be the Czech star’s first tour-level appearance since August 2024. Last year, Pliskova underwent surgery on the tendons in her left ankle.
She has since repeatedly delayed her comeback this year but returned at the lower WTA 125 level in September, playing two tournaments and winning one match, admitting she still “wasn’t 100 per cent” at the time. Now, Pliskova finally seems ready to compete after using her special ranking of No. 40 in the world to sign up for the Aussie Open.
In the women’s draw, Yafan Wang and Mananchaya Sawangkaew have also used their protected standings to enter the tournament. With three players using the special rankings, Boulter has been left just three places outside of the main draw cut-off.
The British No. 4 must hope that three players withdraw from the tournament before the qualifying draw is made, otherwise she will have to go through the preliminary rounds if she wants to make it into the Australian Open. It could be the first time in almost three years that Boulter doesn’t compete in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.
Boulter, who started the year ranked inside the world’s top 30 and has fallen after injury struggles, recently told the BBC that she had been forced to choose between her body and ranking when deciding whether to compete in some WTA 125 events to boost her ranking and make the Australian Open main draw cut-off.
“I think I know my own right choice, but it’s difficult because it means that everyone else is going to be playing and passing me,” the three-time title winner said at the time. Boulter ultimately chose not to compete, but is focused on her preseason.
Boulter isn’t the only big name who could miss out on the Australian Open. Former finalist Danielle Collins has decided not to sign up for the tournament. Collins was set to retire at the end of 2024 to welcome a child, but she decided to return to the tour after opening up about her fertility journey. However, the world No. 64 has not played a match since the US Open in August.
Former world No. 2 Ons Jabeur will also miss the first Grand Slam tournament of 2025 as she continues her indefinite break from tennis. The three-time Major finalist also recently announced that she is expecting her first child with her husband, Karim Kamoun. And ATP No. 15 Holger Rune has already ruled himself out as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury he picked up at the Stockholm Open.
But four men have entered the Australian Open using protected rankings – Juncheng ‘Jerry’ Shang, Zhizhen Zhang, Emil Ruusuvuori, and home favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis. At the 2024 Aussie Open, Kokkinakis was left heartbroken as he admitted he’d been going through “mental and physical torture” while dealing with a pectoral injury, and ultimately decided to undergo surgery.
Eight wildcards and 16 qualifiers will also make it into the main draw for the men’s and women’s singles events. Emerson Jones, Elizabeth Mandlik, and Zarina Diyas have already received wildcards into the women’s draw, while James Duckworth, Patrick Kypson, and Bu Yunchaokete have earned passes to compete in the men’s field.
