“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to play my first Australian Open main draw, I can’t wait to play in front of the home crowd in Melbourne,” Tristan Schoolkate said.
McCabe, meanwhile, will play the AO main draw for the second year running, after pushing American rising star Alex Michelsen to four sets in the 2024 first round.
The 21-year-old McCabe fell as low as 378th in the rankings, but after winning 55 matches and two ITF titles in 2024, rebounded to the cusp of the top 250.
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“As a professional tennis player, my ultimate goal has always been to compete at the highest level and to showcase my skills on the grandest stages of the sport,” James McCabe said.
“Being able to participate in a Grand Slam event in my home country is a dream come true, and I’m incredibly grateful to Tennis Australia for granting me the wildcard. This opportunity not only means the world to me, but it also fills me with a deep sense of pride and excitement. I’m ready to give it my all and represent my country on one of tennis’ biggest platforms.”
The women’s draw has enjoyed an injection of Aussie star power with the presence of Saville and Tomljanovic.
Saville, a former top-20 player who reached the AO fourth round in 2016 and 2017, continued her rise after a serious knee injury derailed her two years ago.
Outside the top 200 in January, Saville was back inside the top 100 by April after reaching the Hobart semifinals and thriving in the US spring season. Inactivity after the US Open caused her ranking to drop, but she ended the season on a high with the Gold Coast Australian Pro Tour title – her first singles trophy since 2017.
“I’m delighted to have another opportunity to compete in the main draw of the Australian Open,” Daria Saville said. “I’d like to thank Tennis Australia for their continued support and allowing me to compete in my home Slam. I am incredibly motivated and working hard to make my way back inside the top 100 and back to my career high ranking of 20. The Australian summer is my favourite time of the year playing at home and hopefully it sets the tone for a strong 2025 season.”
Tomljanovic, a three-time major quarterfinalist, is another player restoring her ranking after serious injury.
She was 292nd to start the season, and missed three months of competition after the Australian Open, but like Saville managed to return to the top 100 after a brilliant grass-court season and by winning the WTA 125K title in Hong Kong.