Asian wild cards at Australian Open

Asian wild cards at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP): Two Asian players will get wild
cards in the main draw of the Australian Open here in January,
organizers said yesterday.

The wild card system for one man and one woman in the top 200
was first introduced last year.

The places "will again be available" in the 1998 tournament
running at the Melbourne Tennis Center from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1,
said Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard.

The wild card initiative had led to Tennis Australia and the
Asian Tennis Federation signing a memorandum of understanding, he
said.