The coveted main draw wildcards aka “free passes” into the men’s and women’s singles draws at the 2012 Australian Open have been given to eight lucky women and eight lucky men.  Tennis Australia trades wildcards with the French Tennis Federation for a spot in the French Open and with the USTA for a place in the U.S. Open.  

WOMEN:
•    Aravane Rezai – As part of a reciprocal arrangement with the French Tennis Federation in which an Australian player is given a wildcard into the French Open. Her career high ranking is 15th.
•    Ashleigh Barty – The fifteen year old Wimbledon Junior Girls’ champion won a wildcard playoff held by Tennis Australia
•    Casey Dellacqua - A former world number 39, she was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia as she comes back from shoulder and foot injuries
•    Bojana Bobusic – She was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Isabella Holland - She was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Olivia Rogowska – Optus 18s Champion in the past, she lost in the final of the Tennis Australia wildcard playoff and was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Shuai Zhang - As the Grand Slam of Asia Pacific, Tennis Australia awards one wildcard to a player from Asia and Shuai, who is from China, received it this year.
•    Madison Keys – She won a USTA wildcard playoff as part of a reciprocal arrangement with the USTA in which an Australian player is given a wildcard into the U.S. Open.  

MEN:
•    James Duckworth – The nineteen year old was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Marinko Matosevic – He won the Tennis Australia wildcard playoff to earn his spot
•    Jesse Levine - Won a USTA wildcard playoff as part of a reciprocal arrangement with the USTA in which an Australian player is given a wildcard into the U.S. Open
•    Jeremy Chardy - As part of a reciprocal arrangement with the French Tennis Federation in which an Australian player is given a wildcard into the French Open.   He was ranked 31st in 2009.
•    Ben Mitchell – A finalist in the 2010 Wimbledon Junior Boys’ championship, he was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Greg Jones – He was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia
•    Tatsuma Ito – As the Grand Slam of Asia Pacific, Tennis Australia awards one wildcard to a player from Asia and Tatsuma, who is from Japan, received it this year.
•    Lleyton Hewitt – Former World Number One and Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion on the comeback from injury was awarded a discretionary wildcard by Tennis Australia