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James Duckworth and newcomer Rinky Hijikata were among the first day winners at the Australian Open wildcard playoff.
Popular battler James Duckworth has taken the first stride towards a return to the Australian Open stage, claiming a four-set first-round wildcard playoff win..
Duckworth, 26, defeated Blake Ellis 5-7 6-4 7-5 6-2 at Melbourne Park on Monday, joining teenager Rinky Hijikata in the last eight.
The tournament, staged for 'best of the rest' locals hoping to bypass qualifying into the main draw of their home major, was won by Alex de Minaur last year.
The teenage sensation has taken great strides since, roaring up the ATP rankings to be Australia's top-rated male player.
Duckworth isn't looking for a similar meteoric rise, just stability.
The Sydneysider has endured a wretched injury run over the last two years and missed the Australian Open for the first time in seven years last January.
Using the benefit of a protected ranking to enter the year's last three majors, he lost to powerhouses Marin Cilic, Alex Zverev and Andy Murray in a luckless run of first-round draws.
He rebounded to win a second-tier event in September - his first title in two years - and feels a resurgence is possible.
"I haven't had a long stretch where I've been able to play a full season. But I've been healthy now for the last six months," he said.
"I just did a four-week training block up in Brisbane trying to get as fit and in as good as shape as possible.
"I felt really fit out there."
While Duckworth is looking for a 19th grand slam appearance, Hijikata and fellow day one winner Anita Santillan are gunning for their first.
Hijikata is both the youngest man in the draw, at 17, and the lowest ranked, as the world No. 1746.
The under-18 Australian champion needed all five sets to defeat Andrew Harris 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 7-5 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 and will play Duckworth on Wednesday.
Santillan, a Tokyo-born 21-year-old, and world No.334 defeated Victorian Jacob Grills 6-1 7-5 6-4 in less than two hours on Monday morning.
Top seed Alex Bolt, John-Patrick Smith, Luke Saville, Dayne Kelly and Maverick Banes also won through.
The world's top 102 women and top 101 men have all confirmed they will compete at the year's first grand slam, a field that includes 10 locals.
The Australian men to have sealed their place include world No.31 de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios (35), John Millman (38), Matthew Ebden (46), Jordan Thompson (72) and Bernard Tomic (83).
Ashleigh Barty (15) leads the Australian women to have qualified directly, with Daria Gavrilova (35), Ajla Tomjanovic (46) and Samantha Stosur (72) joining her.
Women's singles action in the wildcard playoff begins on Tuesday, with both finals taking place on the weekend.
