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The deadline for direct entry into January’s Australian Open was Monday.

And on Friday, Tennis Australia revealed the initial entry list.

If there’s a trend, it’s that there continues to be a lot of players with injury-protected rankings. And as a result, despite the “top 104” players getting straight into the main draw, the initial rankings cutoff is once again inside the top 100.

It’s a big deal; first-round losers in the Australian Open main draw will earn at least $100,000 AUD. If you’re in the qualifying, there’s no guarantee you can win three matches and get through.

The full men’s entry list is here.

The full women’s entry list is here.

No. 98 Nagal last in

For the men, the last player straight in – originally, see below – is No. 98, Sumit Nagal of India.

Six players are in with their protected rankings: Pablo Carreño Busta (No. 18), Nick Kyrgios (No. 21), Reilly Opelka (No. 33), Kei Nishikori (No. 48), Jenson Brooksby (No. 52), and No. 94 Dominic Stricker.

If there’s a difference compared to previous years, is that most of these players are not returning for the first time from injury in Melbourne.

When that’s happened in previous years, a number of them (Marin Cilic and Opelka come to mind) didn’t end up making the date. And that left the door open for more players to squeeze in.

Brooksby to return – finally – at AO

This year, four of the six have already been back. A fifth, Kyrgios, you would expect to play if only because it’s his home major. Although it’s somewhat surprising that they will have him burn one of just two allowed uses of that protected ranking at the AO, and not save them for other majors. They could easily give him a wild card

Who’s missing? No one, as entry is automatic for the players eligible for the draw. A quick scan of the list doesn’t indicate too many who have been out with a long-term injury.

Emil Ruusuvuori, who hasn’t played for a number of months and is defending points in January and the first week of February, is in with his current ranking of No. 95. But those points to defend, if he doesn’t defend them, would drop him to just inside the top 150. So it would make more sense for him to sit out Australia get to the six-month threshold, and then use this protected ranking in the spring.

There are three Canadians on the list: Félix Auger-Aliassime, who should squeeze into the seeds, Denis Shapovalov and Gabriel Diallo – who will be making his Australian Open main-draw debut after losing in the final round of qualifying to David Goffin a year ago.

Just missing out is young Brit Jacob Fearnley, who rose up the rankings in 2024. He may well end up squeezing in, even though there’s a disincentive for main-draw players to withdraw early as they can get partial prize money if they withdraw later in the process.

UPDATE: Sebastian Ofner of Austria has already withdrawn. Which means that Fearnley, who during the 2024 Australian Open was ranked No. 646 and winning a $25K ITF in Luxembourg before returning to Texas Christian University for a final semester, and an NCAA title – is straight in. Amazing rise.

Nishikori is using his protected ranking, and you’d expect Aussie Max Purcell to get a main draw wild card.

The tough-luck story is American Alexander Kovacevic, who was at No. 97 coming into last week and would have squeezed in at that number.

But a year ago, he won a clay-court Challenger in Chile the last week of November. He was defending those points last week, but fell in the second round. So his ranking dropped down to No. 111 JUST at the worst time.

Six women on the PR list

For the women, the last player straight into the initial draw list is also ranked No. 98 – Nadia Podoroska of Argentina.

There are also six in on protected rankings: Belinda Bencic, back from maternity leave (No. 15), Caty McNally (returning from a long injury layoff) (No. 71), Julia Grabher (No. 73), Jodie Burrage (No. 85), Zheng Saisai (No. 89) and Danka Kovinic (No. 95).

Most of them have been playing in this late season.

Returning after being out with a shoulder injury is Maria Sakkari, whose ranking is down to No. 32. Ons Jabeur, who also has been out awhile, is in at No. 42.

Naomi Osaka (who needed a wild card last year) and Emma Raducanu (who didn’t come down to play qualifying) are both straight in this year at No. 60 and No. 59, respectively.

The only Canadian straight in so far is Leylah Fernandez, with a ranking of No. 31.

Rebecca Marino gave it a good go in the fall – and lost the opportunity to play one or two more events because of a Billie Jean Cup commitment that ended up being only one tie. But she fell just short and is third on the alternates list.

American Alycia Parks and Aussie Daris Saville also gave it a good final push, but also fell just short.

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