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Australian Open organisers are confident qualifying matches can still be completed on schedule despite heavy rain in Melbourne forcing all play to be cancelled on the opening day.
In-form veteran Arina Rodionova, Melbourne Park fan favourite John Millman and former teen prodigy Destanee Aiava are among the 25-strong Australian contingent who could face a delayed start time on Tuesday.
Not one qualifying match was played after the main indoor courts were kept off-limits to host practice by top players including Alex de Minaur and Naomi Osaka.
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Tournament organisers said the roofed courts could be turned to if required, but expected play to resume on Tuesday morning with all matches to be completed by Thursday night.
If rain continues into the week matches could be pushed back all the way until Saturday, with the tournament beginning one day later.
Australian Open qualifiers were hit hard by wet weather and smoke from bushfires in 2020, but the schedule was still completed three days before the tournament start.
Qualifying entrants are competing for 16 spots in each of the men’s and women’s singles draws, with three wins required to advance.
Millman was scheduled to play Italian Alessandro Giannessi in his first-round match in the opening slot on Tuesday morning, while Rodionova was meant to play at the same time against Frenchwoman Leolia Jeanjean, but both could face delayed start times.
It comes after Rodionova missed out on a wildcard into the main draw despite a stellar 2023 in which she won seven singles titles on the second-tier ITF circuit to move from outside the top 300 to a career-best 105.
The 34-year-old upset 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the second round of the Brisbane International last week to move to the brink of a maiden top-100 berth.
The Russian-born Victorian will become the oldest player in WTA tour history to reach the milestone for the first time in her career if her form continues.
“I wish I could say I am surprised … but honestly,” Rodionova wrote on X after learning she had not been awarded a wildcard.
“The satisfaction of achieving it all absolutely on your own, despite all this stuff … it is worth it.
“I will see you guys at AO (qualifiers) in a couple of days and I am pumped for this.”
There are five Australian women already in the main draw, with Ajla Tomljanovic granted entry on a protected ranking after her knee injury and Daria Saville, Kimberly Birrell, Olivia Gadecki and Taylah Preston all issued wildcards.
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