Three-times Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka was among nine players handed wildcards to compete at next month's Australian Open, tournament organisers announced on Friday. The 39-year-old Swiss claimed the first of his three major titles at Melbourne Park in 2014,

Nine local players also gain entry to season’s first grand slam, where crowd favourites the ‘Special Ks’ will reunite in the doubles.

Stan Wawrinka, a three-time major champion, is among nine wild-card entries for the Australian Open in January. Tennis Australia has announced the wild-card participants, including Australians Tristan Schoolkate and Daria Saville.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka was handed a wildcard today for the Australian Open, a tournament he first played almost 20 years ago.

Local hope Ajla Tomljanovic and Swiss champion Stan Wawrinka are among nine players handed wildcards for the Australian Open.

Three-times Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka was among nine players handed wildcards to compete at next month's Australian Open, tournament organisers announced on Friday.

Three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka was among nine players handed wildcards to compete at next month’s Australian Open. The 39-year-old Swiss claimed the first of his three major titles at Melbourne Park in 2014, with that triumph earning him a career-high world ranking of number three.

Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014, beating the recently-retired Rafael Nadal in four sets, for his first Grand Slam singles title. Wawrinka peaked at world No. 3 with that victory, and later added major titles at the French Open in 2015 and the 2016 U.S. Open.

Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, was among nine wild-card entries awarded Friday for the Grand Slam tournament in January.