France's former Davis Cup hero Nicolas Escude and 15-year-old Tatiana Golovin have been given wildcard entries to next year's Australian Open, the tournament announced on Sunday.

The Australian Open, from January 19 to February 1, holds a reciprocal wildcard agreement with the French Open and the two national federations.

Escude, 27, the hero of France's 2001 Davis Cup final win over Australia at Melbourne Park, watched his ranking slip from 34 to 114 during an injury-interrupted 2003.

"Boasting a junior ranking as high as world number six in September this year, Golovin was a semi-finalist at the US Open juniors in 2002, and in 2003 reached the last eight at both Flushing Meadows and Junior Wimbledon," the Australian Open said in a statement.

The talented Frenchwoman has played one senior grand slam tournament, losing in the first round at this year's French Open, the Australian Open statement said.

"She has a senior ranking of world number 355," it said.

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