Former Wimbledon boys winner Luke Saville is a step closer to joining a star-studded Australian Open field after winning his wildcard play-off quarter final.

Saville followed up a first round five-set slog with a straight forward win over 16-year old Akira Santillan.

Santillan, who upset second seed Matt Reid in the first round, failed to break Saville over three sets, losing 6-4 6-4 6-2.

Organisers confirmed the men’s and women’s winners of the wildcard play-offs would be joining fields with all bar one the world’s top 100 players. The suspended Viktor Troicki is the only man slated to be missing at Melbourne Park next month with the injured Maria Kirilenko (ankle) out of the women’s draw.

Saville will play last year’s winner Ben Mitchell, who defeated sixth seed Andrew Whittington in a semi-final.

Mitchell has yet to drop a set in the tournament, winning the quarter-final 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Top seed John-Patrick Smith won 6-4 6-4 7-5 over Dane Propoggia without dropping serve.