Andy Murray and Aljaz Bedene will not be alone in the Australian Open Main Draw, as Kyle Edmund, ranked 102, will be joining them.
Edmund, who originally just missed the cut-off, is the beneficiary of withdrawals including Richard Gasquet, Thanasi Kokinakis, and Juan Monaco. Edmund would originally have made the main draw in his own right had it not been for the high number of players using protected rankings to enter. Five players registered protected rankings for tournament including Tommy Haas, Brian Baker, Julien Benneteau, Dmitry Tursunov, and Janko Tipsarevic. Dudi Sela and Filip Krajinovic are the two other players to have benefited from player withdrawals to play in the main draw.
Playing in the main draw will be a major bonus for Edmund, who lost in the final round of qualifying last year, He had defeated Maverick Banes and endured a tough three-set match against young American Jared Donaldson, before losing to the since retired Michael Russell in straight sets. James Ward will likely take part in the qualifying event, whilst Liam Broady looks unlikely to make the same event, his ranking having fallen to 301.
In other news, it seems unlikely that Juan Martin Del Potro will play, as he did not register for a protected ranking in time for the cut-0ff. It does not completely rule him out, as there still wildcards yet to be awarded, but with a failed come-back last year, Del Potro knows his own limitations and will not pressure himself to return until he truly ready.
It will be the first Australian Open since 2001 that does not feature Jarkko Nieminen, with the Finn playing every event between 2002-2015 until his retirement last year.
