The upcoming Australian Open will be a comeback tournament for some players who have been sidelined for weeks or months due to either injury or personal matters.
A total of 13 players have used the ranking rules to enter the main draw at Melbourne Park next month, according to the official list of entrants that was published on Thursday. The WTA refers to the rule as a special ranking and the ATP labels it as a protected ranking but they are basically both the same. It is a system where players who have been out of action for a long duration can re-enter events using the ranking that they had at the time the last they received prize money at an event.
In the men’s draw, the most notable player using this system is 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal who has been sidelined from action due to a hip injury. The Spaniard will officially start his comeback during the first week of January at the Brisbane International. He is using a protected ranking of ninth to gain entry into the draw but he will be unseeded.
“I don’t know at what level (he will play at), I don’t know what to expect, I have no idea, but I don’t care right now,” Nadal said in a video posted on social media.
“I’m just happy to be back and with great excitement to make the effort that is necessary to have fun and I believe that I will be competitive.”
2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic is using a protected ranking of 21 to play. The 35-year-old has only managed to play two tournaments this year due to a persistent knee injury. As a result, the Croat has spiraled down the rankings to outside the top 600.
Canadian duo Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic are also using the system. Shapovalov hasn’t played since his fourth round exit from Wimbledon due to a knee problem. Meanwhile, Raonic is still able to use the protected ranking rule due to his lengthy absence from tennis due to injury.
Other players in the men’s main draw using a protected ranking are Reilly Opelka and Jiri Vesely.
The return of Osaka
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the women’s tournament, two former Grand Slam champions are set to return after becoming mothers for the first time. Naomi Osaka, who won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021, has a special ranking of 46th. Like Nadal, she will also play a warm-up event in Brisbane. The former world No.1 gave birth to a baby girl in July and last played on the Tour in September 2022.
Angelique Kerber’s last taste of competitive tennis was at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships where she reached the third round. She welcomed her first child in February this year and is now preparing for a return to the Tour at the age of 35. She is using a special ranking of 31.
Also using their special rankings are Jennifer Brady, Ajla Tomljanovic, Shelby Rogers, Amanda Anisimova and Caty McNally.
The Australian Open starts on January 14th and will take place over 15 days for the first time in its history. The full list of main draw entries can be seen HERE.
