Former finalist Thiem given Australian Open wildcard

[December 30, 2022] MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Former Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem has been given a wildcard to the Grand Slam next month after missing last year's tournament due to injury, organisers said on Friday.  

Austria's Dominic Thiem in action during his first round match against Bolivia's Hugo Dellien REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
 

The Austrian gave the 2020 champion Novak Djokovic a huge scare before losing in five sets in a classic final.

Former world number three Thiem later made his Grand Slam breakthrough at that year's U.S. Open.

He struggled with a serious wrist injury the following season but the powerful 29-year-old has been on the comeback trail this year, improving his world ranking to 102 from outside the top 350 in June.

Frenchman Luca Van Assche has also been given a wildcard, while Americans Taylor Townsend and Christopher Eubanks and Frenchwoman Diane Parry were awarded wildcards in the women's tournament.

The four outstanding wildcards - two men and two women - will be awarded next week, organisers said.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

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