Australian Open 2022

[Dinesh]

Mods, please rename the thread to include the entire AO summer series, if need be.

Main draw entry list for the AO 2022 slam is out and Yuki with a protected ranking of 127 has entered and appears on the alternates list at the 21st spot. MD cut-off is 108, with Federer, Pella, Wawrinka withdrawing from the competition. Of course, this list would shrink when non-vaccinated players are removed (unless Tennis Australia comes up with any changes to their mandatory vaccine requirement).

[PKBasu]

Djokovic, Nadal and Thiem are in the list. Djokovic is unvaccinated so far, and the other two are returning from injury. There could be others dropping out later too. But I doubt Yuki will get into the main draw without having to play qualifiers.

[PKBasu]

We should have a lot of players in the qualifying rounds in 2022. Apart from Yuki, the India #1 Ramkumar Ramanathan will be there among the men, as will Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Sumit Nagal. Among the women, we will have Ankita Raina and (hopefully, using a protected ranking) also Karman Kaur Thandi.

Rohan Bopanna is the only certainty on the Men's doubles side, while #63 Sania Mirza is assured of a spot in the women's doubles draw. Ankita Raina (ranked 101 in doubles) might struggle to get into the doubles main draw. (She is #188 in singles).

[PKBasu]

There is no Asia-Pacific wildcard play-off this year, so the speculation is that the highest-ranked Asian who isn't in the main draw will get the wildcard. That is currently Taro Daniel (125), but Yuki's protected ranking (127) is a very close second. The next-highest Asians are Yuichi Sugita (160), Jason Jung (TWN, 178) and Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND, 185). If Japan as a developed nation is ruled out, then Yuki and Ramkumar definitely have a good case to get the singles wildcard.

On the women's side, there are a number of Asian women who are at the top of the Alternates list -- Misako Doi (106), Hsieh Su-wei (108), Qiang Wang (105). Ankita Raina (#200 in the live rankings) has, at best, a very distant outsiders' chance if the Australians decide to back the Quad alliance player!

[Dinesh]

Qualifying entry list is out and only Ramkumar, Prajnesh, and Yuki are featured in it. Seems, Sumit Nagal has decided to skip the Aussie summer down under. Ankita will be the lone Indian player on the women’s singles side.

[vparam]

Sumit had surgery recently so he’s not physically ready to play.

[Dinesh]

Doubles list is also out and as expected, only Rohan (w/ partner Eduoard Roger-Vasselin) made it to the direct acceptance. Divij is the 14th ALT with partner Lucas Meidler.

[sameerph]

Ankita is in singles qualifying at AO and is alternate # 7 on doubles list along with Lauren Davis. Ankita is also in doubles entry list of Melbourne 250 a week before that. She is way down in singles qualifying there but hope she makes it in there.

It seems Karman's PR spots are over. So, no chance for her to play in AO.

[Dinesh]

Dominic Thiem has withdrawn today, which moves Yuki to the 16th alt spot (previously, Federer, Raonic, Pella, and Wawrinka all withdrew). According to sources, 95% of the top 100 ATP players are vaccinated, so this should allow for some more movement for Yuki to get closer to the MD cut-off.

[PKBasu]

It still remains unlikely that 15 more people will pull out. So Yuki remains likely to have to play the qualifying rounds.

[prasen9]

Djokovic's visa has been cancelled. I suspect he used fake medical certificates about some vaccine issue. Djokovic, great player as he is, is also a great moron plying conspiracies. I am glad he is denied entry. I wonder whether the Aussies can refuse to accept Serbian doctor's certificates though especially for things that are expensive to test and or claims that are not possible to test quickly. I hope the courts do not allow him to play. We do not need any more covid spreaders or to encourage them.

[PKBasu]

The ridiculous shenanigans around Djokovic have possibly reduced the ALT waiting list further. Yuki is perhaps 13 slots away from the main draw now. Interestingly, the Asia-Pacific wildcard(s) for singles, doubles (both men and women) have yet to be awarded. Taro Daniel is probably the likeliest to get it for men's singles, if they strictly go by the rankings (highest-ranked Asian player not in the main draw). Yuki (with his protected ranking) is next in line if they go by the ALT list.

[prasen9]

Thanks Jaydeep. Djoko is in quarantine hotel until Monday. Hope the courts do not overrule the Border guys.

[rajitghosh]

There is far too much money riding on Djoker. Eventually money speaks and they'll find a way to get him to play. AO would not want to be relegated to a poor cousin of the other 3 Slams as it was in the past.

[prasen9]

There is no money riding on Novak. And, anyway Australian Border Force does not get any money. Now if ScoMo is bought over by Tennis Australia I do not know. Nevertheless, players get injured and do not play. I doubt the Aussie Open's TV sponsorship or if they are allowing viewers to come to the stadium will be affected if Novak is not there. Even when the #1 player of the world is injured, we do not say that that GS tournament has an asterisk or is a poor cousin of the other three etc. "The tennis" will be fine even if Djokovic is kicked out money wise. In the long runs, these blips will not matter for future telecasts. I doubt that viewership will be that much affected if Joker is not allowed in.

Why do countries have medical exceptions? I understand that some people may have adverse effects of vaccines. Okay. But, tough luck. Unless there is a compelling reason why, e.g., say parent dying, etc., these people should not be let in. The reason is that letting them in lets the virus a carrier to come into a country that has done well, at great cost, to keep covid deaths to a minimum. So, yes, too bad and may be unfair that you cannot take vaccines. But, even if there is a legitimate reason why you cannot take it, tough luck. We will not let our people die (or be more at a risk of dying) to try to be fair to you. Again, some exceptions should be allowed for humanitarian reasons, etc. But, otherwise, having medical exemptions to vaccination requirements for visas is a stupid idea and makes no sense.