Their last eight Tests in Perth have all been defeats, with the most recent setback a bitter innings and 41-run capitulation in 2017 that saw Joe Root's team surrender the urn.
Seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams thanked Australian Open organisers on Saturday for giving her a wildcard that will see the 45-year-old American become the oldest woman ever to compete in the singles main draw.
Mitchell Starc, who picked up 26 wickets in four matches with an average of 17.42, has moved one rung up to share the second spot with Pakistan spinner Noman Ali.
The Opening Ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 17, at Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open main draw begins on January 18.
If selected, it would be the fast-medium pacer's first Test since taking five wickets in a heavy defeat by New Zealand in Hamilton a year ago.
No fewer than 36 wickets fell during two chaotic days in the fourth Ashes Test, leaving the captains of both Australia and England unimpressed with the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch.
Cricket Australia were left millions of dollars out of pocket, having to refund tickets for a confirmed sell-out crowd on day three at the 100,000-seat stadium and for another large crowd for day four.
Richardson has, so far, played three Test matches since making his debut in 2018-19. The pacer has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 22.09.
Russian-born Daria Kasatkina said she is ready to embrace the "good pressure" of a home Grand Slam when she steps onto the Melbourne Park court as an Australian citizen for the first time.
Iga Swiatek heads into Melbourne Park with the Australian Open title the only gap on her Grand Slam resume, but the world number two is keen to avoid setting herself targets for the new season and says her main goal is to improve her game.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Vaughan has expressed his thoughts regarding the fourth Test. The former cricketer praised England's win but added that cricket fans should not celebrate after seeing a Test match ending in two days.
Michael Vaughan believes England's victory in the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was a 'lottery'.
England called up spinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts for the final Ashes Test against Australia beginning on Sunday with one of them set to fill the void created by Gus Atkinson's injury-induced absence.
'You do not progress unless you have some pretty honest and truthful conversations.'
England lost the first three matches in the ongoing Ashes series but chased down 175 to win the fourth by four wickets and score a first Test victory in Australia in 15 years.
Nick Kyrgios will only feature in the doubles at the Australian Open, which begins at Melbourne Park on January 18.
Kyrgios, the 2018 Brisbane champion, is now ranked 673rd in the world with no protected ranking and will also need a wildcard to compete at Melbourne Park.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted players from the Australian and England cricket teams ahead of the final Ashes Test at Kirribilli House for his annual New Year's Day reception on Thursday.
Batting great Alistair Cook says England's 2-2 home series draw against Shubman Gill-led India was against "not a great Indian side", flagging concerns over the team's preparation for the Ashes.
England Captain Ben Stokes was involved in a heated on-field exchange with Australia's No.3 Marnus Labuschagne, an incident that drew strong reactions from former players in the commentary box.
'The body is holding together, and it's a great group to be a part of.'
IMAGES from the Australian Open matches played at Melbourne Park in Melbourne on Thursday.
Players struggled with cramp and injuries on the second day of the Australian Open on Monday, headlined by the retirement of seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime while his compatriot Marina Stakusic needed a wheelchair to leave the court.
Captain Ben Stokes believes England can build on the positives from their loss in the third Ashes Test to Australia in Adelaide as they look to claim the country's first win Down Under in almost 15 years in the series' two remaining tests.
Usman Khawaja picked as Australia announce squad for Sydney Test against England
IMAGES from all the action on Day 8 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Sunday.
England fast bowler Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney after tearing his left hamstring, the team said on Monday.
An Ashes tour that began with high hopes of taking home the urn has been reduced to a desperate effort to salvage some last vestiges of dignity for England.
It was a relieved Ben Stokes bidding good riddance to more than a decade of pain for English cricket in Australia on Saturday as his team rallied from the depths to complete a drought-breaking Test win in Melbourne.
The overwhelmingly bowler-friendly Melbourne pitch on which 20 wickets fell on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test has prompted Kevin Pietersen and Dinesh Kartik to point out the selective criticism of Indian tracks when spinners get wickets in a heap.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the matches played at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday.
Playing in just his second BBL match, Jerrssis Wadia made an instant impact in the Australian Big Bash League, delivering a thrilling cameo for the Adelaide Strikers.
Venus Williams will return to the Australian Open after receiving a wildcard entry, the tournament's organisers said on Friday, marking her first appearance at Melbourne Park in five years.
The swashbuckling 26-year-old has accepted during this series that he needs to better rein in his natural aggression.
Jannik Sinner was in ominous form on the Rod Laver Arena court he has ruled for two years before the match was cut short.
Novak Djokovic said he would step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association, citing concerns over transparency and governance within the organisation.
Triumphant Australia will bid farewell to Usman Khawaja as England look to recover another few scraps of pride when the Ashes series comes to a conclusion with the fifth Test in Sydney from Sunday.
Australia pacer Michael Neser found day one of his maiden Boxing Day Test a dream come true.
As 20 wickets fell on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday, the carnage prompted sharp criticism from former England cricketers.
With the Ashes urn in their hands, Australia decided to rule Cummins out of the two remaining Tests.
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