Thursday Order of Play

Mercer Tennis Classic is Once Again
Part of the USTA Australian Open Wild Card Challenge

The Australian Open Wild Card Challenge, which will utilize indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet professional tournaments to award an American man and woman a main draw wild card into the Australian Open.

The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw wild cards for the Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.

The women's wild card will be awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned at a maximum of three tournaments during a five-week window. All indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet events at the 25 level and above, including WTA Tour events, will be included in the Challenge. The Mercer Tennis Classic is an important event in the Challenge!

Ranking points earned in the main draw and qualifying will be counted toward each player's Challenge point total. Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points earn direct entry into the Australian Open, the wild card will go to the next eligible American in the Challenge points standings. In the event of a tie for the men or the women, the player with the best singles ranking on the Monday immediately following the conclusion of the Challenge will earn the wild card. Americans who otherwise earn direct entry into the Australian Open are not eligible.