Sixteen-year-old Nguyen Hoang Thien has qualified for the Australian Open Junior Championships U18 Tournament which will take place on January 22-28.

Thien climbed to 121th in the International Tennis Federation juniors rankings, but he could place 69 th when a regulation excluding 18-year-olds from the rankings comes into force next year.

Last year, Thien received a wild card to participate in the Australian Open but he was knocked out in the third round.

At present, the 16-year-old is competing in the Abierto Juvenil Mexicano tournament until January 1 and will play in the Loy Yang Tralragon international in Australia on January 15-20./.