As the countdown to the 2026 Australian Open continues, Tennis Australia has announced an exciting addition to the tournament’s lineup. Four home-grown talents—Rinky Hijikata, Priscilla Hon, Talia Gibson, and Taylah Preston—have been granted wild cards, ensuring a vibrant Australian presence in both the men’s and women’s singles draws at Melbourne Park.
This latest development brings the total number of Australian players in the main draws to a notable 16, evenly split with eight participants in each category. For Hon, this wild card marks a significant achievement following a breakthrough season that saw her reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time at the US Open, in addition to making her debut in the WTA Top 100.
The 27-year-old from Queensland also made her mark on the grass courts of Wimbledon, qualified for the tournament, and enjoyed success on the ITF circuit, securing two W75 titles in both Brisbane and Romania. Expressing her gratitude, Hon stated, “I’m so incredibly grateful to Tennis Australia for the wildcard. I pushed my body hard to try and avoid needing one, but I’m very thankful for their continued support. I’m proud to represent Australia and can’t wait to see how far I can go!”
Hijikata, a rising star in Australian tennis, has also seen considerable success recently. Alongside Dutch partner David Pel, he reached the finals of the Wimbledon doubles event, marking his second Grand Slam doubles final after previously winning the Australian Open in 2023 with Jason Kubler. In singles, Hijikata enjoyed a productive season, winning the Playford Challenger, which propelled him to a career-high ranking of No. 114. His best Grand Slam singles result came with a fourth-round exit at the 2023 US Open. Anticipating the Australian Open, Hijikata expressed, “I’m very grateful to get another opportunity to play in the main draw at the AO. There’s nothing better than competing at a home Slam and I’ve had some of my best memories in Melbourne. I can’t wait for the electric atmosphere in January.”
The 20-year-old Taylah Preston has been on fire, winning 31 of her last 37 matches this season. A former junior standout who ranked within the top 10, she is set to make her third Grand Slam main-draw appearance following previous stints at the Australian and US Opens in 2024. Meanwhile, Talia Gibson has risen to prominence in recent months, earning her first selection for the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team during the country’s Play-off campaign in Hobart. She capped her successful run by clinching the Australian Pro Tour title in Sydney and accumulating three ITF titles at W50 level or higher throughout the year.
In addition to the Australian wild cards, the French Tennis Federation has announced that Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah and Kyrian Jacquet will also receive main-draw wild cards. Rakotomanga Rajaonah, just 20 years old, recently captured her first WTA title in Sao Paulo and is swiftly climbing the rankings after starting 2025 ranked outside the top 350. Jacquet is coming off a strong performance, reaching his first ATP-level quarterfinal in Metz and achieving a new career-high ranking of 137.
With the tournament set to begin on January 18, 2026, expect more wild card announcements as anticipation builds for another thrilling Australian Open in Melbourne.
