NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 28: Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia returns a shot during his first round Men's Single match against Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia on Day One of the 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 28, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Australian youngster Thanasi Kokkinakis has received a wildcard for the first Grand Slam of the calendar year and his home slam, the Australian Open.

Kokkinakis, currently ranked 210 in the world, has been plagued by abdominal and shoulder injuries in recent years, but is now fully fit and eager to work his way back up the rankings after a promising return to the court in 2017.

“It’s been tough missing the last two Australian Opens especially because it’s my favourite tournament and I was 17 when I played my first one.

"It’s been a pretty tough couple of years with my body but I’ve been working hard to get it right.”

It will be Kokkinakis' first Australian Open in three years.