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Emerging star Olivia Gadecki has successfully qualified for the US Open, while fellow Australian Kim Birrell has also earned a singles spot as a lucky loser.
Former teenage prodigy Olivia Gadecki will make her international grand slam debut after successfully qualifying for the US Open in New York.
Gadecki crushed American Emina Bektas 6-1 6-1 in less than an hour to boost Australia's Open singles contingent to 14 players at the season's final grand slam starting on Tuesday (AEST).
Gadecki's fellow Queenslander Kim Birrell lost her final-round qualifying encounter 6-3 6-3 to American Fiona Crawley but earned a late entry into the main draw as a 'lucky loser' following two withdrawals on Sunday.
Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, and Spain's Paula Badosa both pulled out injured.
Gadecki and Birrell give Australia five players in the women's singles at Flushing Meadows, joining returning 2022 quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Saville and wildcard Storm Hunter.
Gadecki's only previous appearance in a grand slam main draw came at the Australian Open in January when the 21-year-old reached the second round after being awarded a wildcard entry.
The Gold Coast talent announced her arrival on the professional stage with a stunning victory over then-reigning Australian Open champion and world No.4 Sofia Kenin as an unranked 18-year-old at the Phillip Island Trophy event at Melbourne Park in February 2021.
Gadecki opted to sit out the 2022 Australian summer because she wasn't vaccinated against COVID-19 but returned this year with a bang to record her maiden victory at a major to climb to a career-high ranking of No.144 in the world.
Gadecki will launch her Open assault on Tuesday (AEST) against Russia's world No.53 Mirra Andreeva.
All five Australian women play on day one.
Birrell is up against American Jennifer Brady, the 2020 Australian Open runner-up on the comeback trail, while Tomljanovic, playing her first match of the season after making last year's quarter-finals in New York, faces Hungary's world No.124 Panna Udvardy.
Saville plays US teenage wildcard Clervie Ngounoue, with the winner likely to meet world No.1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.
Hunter has a tough opener against Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up.
Fellow Australian Marc Polmans lost his final-round men's qualifying match 6-2 6-1 to exciting young American Zachary Zvajda.
