Tennis

Americans Johnson, Vickery earn Australian Open wild cards

Published Dec. 23, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

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Two-time NCAA singles champion Steve Johnson and 18-year-old Sachia Vickery earned wild-card invitations to the Australian Open by winning U.S. Tennis Association playoffs.

Johnson, who is 23 and played college tennis at Southern California, beat Tennys Sandgren 4-6, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the men's final on an indoor hard court.

Johnson is ranked 156th. His best showing at a major tournament was reaching the third round at the 2012 U.S. Open as a wild-card entry.

The 195th-ranked Vickery defeated Victoria Duval 6-2, 6-3 in the USTA playoff women's final. Vickery also earned a wild card into this year's U.S. Open, her Grand Slam debut, and got to the second round.

The Australian Open starts Jan. 13.

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