Somdev gets wildcard entry into Australian Open

Sydney: India's Somdev Devvarman and Taiwan's Chang Kai-chen have landed wildcards for this month's Australian Open, the organisers said on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Indian and the Taiwanese teen were handed the wildcards "as part of the Australian Open's profile as the Grand Slam of Asia Pacific", the organisers said in a statement.

Devvarman is currently ranked 108, outside the Australian Open cut-off of 105 and this will be the first time he will feature in the main draw of the tournament.

For 19-year-old Chang, ranked 117th, this will be her second Australian Open main draw appearance.

The organisers have already awarded wildcards to the American pair of Ryan Harrison and Lauren Davies and the French duo of Benoit Paire and Virginie Razzano.

Australians Marinko Matosevic, Olivia Rogowska, Peter Luczak, Jelena Dokic, Matt Ebden and Alicia Molik have also received wildcards and two more would be awarded in both the men's and women's draw, the organisers said.