Trio Of Former Top 10 Stars Handed Wimbledon Wildcards - UBITENNIS

Trio Of Former Top 10 Stars Handed Wimbledon Wildcards

By Adam Addicott
3 Min Read
Venus Williams (USA) playing against Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) in the first round of the Ladies' Singles on No.3 Court at The Championships 2021. Held at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Day 2 Tuesday 29/06/2021. Credit: AELTC/Simon Bruty

Venus Williams will make her 24th main draw appearance at Wimbledon this year after organisers issued the former world No.1 with a wildcard on Wednesday.

The 43-year-old is among seven players who have been handed an entry into the women’s draw. Williams is a five-time champion at The All England Club with her most recent triumph occurring in 2008. She also won the title in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2007. She made her Wimbledon debut in 1997 which was six years before men’s world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz was born.

Williams is playing at the Birmingham Classic this week where she ousted Italy’s Camila Giorgi 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(6), in a thrilling first round match.

Former world No.3 Elina Svitolina has also been handed a wildcard. The Ukranian returned to the Tour in April following the birth of her first child and has rapidly risen up the rankings since. She recently won the Strasburg Open before reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open in what was only her fifth WTA-level event. Svitolina was a Wimbledon semi-finalist back in 2019.

As for the home players, British No.1 Katie Boulter has been handed a pass. Boulter recently won her maiden WTA title in Nottingham after beating Jodie Burrage in the final who has also received a wildcard. Heather Watson will be making her 13th main draw appearance at the event, alongside Harriet Dart and Katie Swan.

In the men’s draw, David Goffin remains the only non-British player to be handed a wildcard so far. The Belgian has been hindered by a knee injury in recent months and is currently ranked outside of the top 100. Goffin, who has been ranked as high as seventh in the world, is a two-time quarter-finalist at the Grand Slam.

Others to be selected include Liam Broady who won a Challenger title earlier this season in Lithuania and was runner-up at another in Switzerland. Ryan Peniston, who defeated Ugo Humbert in Queen’s this week, Arthur Fery, Jan Chionsky and George Loffhagen have also been picked.

This year’s Wimbledon draw will take place on June 30th before main draw action begins on July 3rd.

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