Thursday 8 December 2016 10:42, UK
Great Britain have a guaranteed six players in the main draw of the Australian Open next month with new world No 1 Andy Murray leading the way.
Murray, Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans will all be in the men's first round in Melbourne while Johanna Konta, Heather Watson and Naomi Broady will compete in the women's singles.
Murray will be heading to his first Grand Slam as the top seed and will be hoping to finally win a tournament he has finished runner-up of five times, while Edmund and Evans, ranked 45th and 66th respectively, both head into 2017 on the back of their best-ever seasons.
Konta, born in Australia, will return to the scene of her first major semi-final ranked in the top 10 after a stellar 2016 season saw her surge up the listings.
Watson (76th) and Broady (90th) also get in the main draw due to their ranking inside the top 100.
Tara Moore, ranked 160, and Laura Robson, way down at 221st, will have to go through qualifying if they are to join their compatriots, with Aljaz Bedene also forced to qualify on the men's side.
Every player in the world's top 99 bar pregnant Victoria Azarenka have been confirmed for the tournament, including Roger Federer and Serena Williams as they return from injury.
"We have an exceptionally strong field for Australian Open 2017, and it's exciting to welcome two new world number ones, and two new top seeds in Angie (Kerber) and Andy (Murray)," said tournament director Craig Tiley.
"We have been in regular contact with Roger and Rafa and both are ready and excited for the Aussie summer, with Roger heading to Perth and Rafa to Brisbane for the first time.
"Like all the players, they can't wait to get to Melbourne and start the year off well."
