French duo Cornet, Cazaux receive wild cards for Australian Open
French tennis players Alize Cornet and Arthur Cazaux have been given wild-card entries for next month's Australian Open, the French tennis federation said Monday.
The 33-year-old Cornet, who is ranked 116th, will participate in the tournament for the 19th time in her career and make a record-extending 68th consecutive appearance at a major. She reached the quarterfinals for the first time in Melbourne last year — her best achievement at any major.
The 21-year-old Cazaux is ranked 130th after climbing from 381st at the start of the year, and he goes into main draw first time at the Jan. 15-28 tournament.
Cazaux has shown promise by winning one challenger series title and reaching three other challenger finals in 2023 — losing one of them to three-time major winner Andy Murray on grass at the Nottingham Open in June.
The wild card deal is part of a swap arrangement with the Australian tennis federation, which will also receive wild cards for the clay-court French Open, to be held at Roland Garros from May 26-June 9.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
HEADLINES
- 3-time major winner Angelique Kerber will retire from tennis after the Paris Olympics
- Naomi Osaka is in a better place as she returns to the Olympics and Roland Garros at Paris Games
- Gauff excited to meet fellow flag bearer LeBron at opening ceremony
- Coco Gauff to be female flag bearer for USA at Olympic opening ceremony, joining LeBron James
- Olympic silver medalist Vondrousova, Hurkacz withdraw from Paris Games