The All England Club at Wimbledon is getting ready to welcome back some familiar faces as former grand slam champions Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, and Angelique Kerber have all been awarded wild cards for the upcoming tournament.
Emma Raducanu, who made a breakthrough by reaching the fourth round in 2021, will return to the prestigious All England Club after two years, following wrist and ankle surgery last year. Her recent success at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham, where she reached the semi-finals, indicates an encouraging start to her grass-court campaign.
Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki will both make their return to the main draw at Wimbledon for the first time in five years after becoming mothers. Wozniacki expressed her disappointment at missing out on a wild card at the French Open, emphasizing the special memories she holds from her time at Wimbledon, including winning the junior Wimbledon back in 2005.
Another former world number one, Angelique Kerber, also received a wild card, along with British players Francesca Jones, Heather Watson, and Yuriko Miyazaki. Kerber, who took time away from the sport to start a family, will bring her experience and skill to the tournament.
In the men’s draw, seven British players, including last year’s junior champion Henry Searle, have received wild cards. Notably, 18-year-old Henry Searle made history as the first home winner of the boys’ singles since 1962 and has been making impressive strides in the senior game this season. Additionally, 29-year-old Billy Harris, who spent the early part of his career travelling around Europe in a converted transit van, will make his grand slam debut at Wimbledon, highlighting the diverse range of players participating in the tournament.
The wildcard recipients also include Jacob Fearnley, rewarded for winning his first Challenger title in Nottingham last year, as well as familiar names in the tennis world such as Liam Broady, Arthur Fery, Paul Jubb, and Jan Choinski.
While some players have secured their spots through wild cards, others will have to go through qualifying. Notably, Dominic Thiem is set to go through qualifying to make a final appearance at the All England Club, as he announced last month that he will retire at the end of the season due to wrist problems.
In the women’s singles, junior stars Hannah Klugman, Mingge Xu, and Mika Stojsavljevic will play in the qualifying rounds, while 21-year-old Jack Pinnington Jones and 16-year-old Oliver Bonding are among those who have been given wild cards into the men’s qualifying.
The diverse range of players, with varying backgrounds and experiences, promises an exciting and compelling tournament at Wimbledon this year.
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