Tomic US Open hope
Out of qualifying but keen to play 10th straight year
BERNARD Tomic has pulled out of US Open qualifying but still hopes to contest the final grand slam of the year for the 10th-straight year.
A one-time junior champion at Flushing Meadows, Tomic narrowly missed direct entry after slipping out of the world’s top 100 following a first-round Wimbledon loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The 26-year-old is the third alternate and could still take a place in the 128-strong men’s singles draw if there are more withdrawals after the scratching of 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro.
Tomic’s fellow Gold Coaster and former women’s champion Samantha Stosur, meanwhile, will feature in her 15th US Open after being handed a wildcard.
A stunning winner over Serena Williams in the 2011 final on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Stosur will join world No.2 Ashleigh Barty and fellow Australians Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Gavrilova and Astra Sharma in the women’s singles in New York.
At 35, Stosur, who has slipped to No.131 in the world rankings but remains a 2019 Fed Cup final option for Australia, will be the third-oldest player in the draw behind 37year-old Serena and the American’s sister Venus, who turns 40 next year.
Also a quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2010 and 2012, as well as a doubles champion in 2005 with Lisa Raymond, Stosur is among eight women to receive wildcards into the singles this year.
“I guess I have always felt a little confidence boost here since I won,” Stosur said.
“Coming here each year since 2011 always feels that extra bit special. Hopefully I can draw on that and play well and enjoy another good result.”
Stosur’s wildcard gives Australia 10 players in the women’s and men’s singles main draws.
Nick Kyrgios, Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson, 2018 quarter-finalist John Millman, and teenage gun Alexei Popyrin will contest the men’s event from August 26.
Another 16 Australians – eight men and eight women – have entered US Open qualifying.
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