Wimbledon wildcards 2017 - Women

wimdledont · Challenger level

Wimbledon wildcards 2017 - Women

Mervatron2 · Futures level

Wimbledon wildcards 2017

wolf · Tennis legend

Unlike normal WTA, you can enter with your singles ranking in Slams so Jo+ should be in direct.

the addict · Tennis legend

I wonder if Dart+ Dunne will be in doubles qualifying again this year - they went out to the Q4 seeds last year

Sim · County player

wimdledont wrote:
Main draw
The only candidate that I can see is Katie Boulter. For the wildcard committee, KB or not KB, that is the question.

Surely it will all depend upon whether Katie beats Laura tomorrow. If she does then they can hardly give Laura a WC without giving Katie one too. Not only will she have beaten Laura she will also have more points this year. If Katie loses will probably have to perform very well on one of the UK grass tournaments to get the WC.

philwrig · Hall of fame

I think you have to factor in FedCup duty, there's always been an unwritten law that if you represent GB earlier in the year it gives you an advantage when WCs are handed out. I would say that KS is closer to a WC than it may look on paper, but unless she's 100% fit it's a difficult one to argue for.

Joss and Laura are playing dubs together so they will take one.

wimdledont · Challenger level

Sim wrote:
wimdledont wrote:
Main draw
The only candidate that I can see is Katie Boulter. For the wildcard committee, KB or not KB, that is the question.
Surely it will all depend upon whether Katie beats Laura tomorrow. If she does then they can hardly give Laura a WC without giving Katie one too. Not only will she have beaten Laura she will also have more points this year. If Katie loses will probably have to perform very well on one of the UK grass tournaments to get the WC.

That's my take exactly.

(A slightly awkward aside...)

Isn't Katie pretty? Perhaps it's just me, but given that the press was seeking her out round ITFs and WTA qualifying for her views on the Nike skimpy dress scandal last year, when she was ranked about WR760, and there were numerous higher-ranked players more readily available for comment...

Twenty years or so ago, Man United's academy produced a crop of outstanding youngsters - the Neville Bros, Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs. There was never much doubt at the club though, that one of them was a phenomenal talent, who could go on to become the greatest Brit player of a generation. Which, in the opinion of many, including Sir Alex, Xavi, Zidane and me, is exactly what he did become. Ugly though, Paul Scholes.

If KB does get a MDWC, I'd anticipate she'll get a lot of very positive press coverage, particularly in the tabloids, which are often about 60% pics, 40% text, irrespective of how well she plays.

For the LTA, given their strategic aim of getting "more people playing more tennis more often", with particular emphasis targeting on young girls via Judy Murray's 'Miss-Hits', etc, they should also be delighted to see such a photogenic talent emerging. Madison Keys is on record as picking up a raquet because she wanted a pretty dress, like Venus on teevee. If KB does make the WTA, she could be very high profile, and end up doing as much for junior recruitment as Sophie Murray's granny. She is, potentially, a big celebrity.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I would be surprised if Katie Swan usurps all and gets the MD wildcard.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

wimbledont - I know exactly what you mean and you phrased it very well.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

hmmm, well she's WR 366 at the mo, and just turned 18, so I'm not sure whether that puts her in a special category or not. I remember there being something about a at least WR 250 unless you were a junior. She got one last year didn't she? But she's not had such a good year due to injury this year, or played Fed cup (correct me if I'm wrong).

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

There is a much higher demand for WC this year than last year, when only 6 were given out. Heather, Naomi, Tara and Laura are near certainties, and I'd like to see one more too to one of the younger players. Katie Boulter is very much first in line at the moment, and it would take an impressive run in one of the lead up tournaments from someone else to change that.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

Absolutely agree, they should give Katie B a MDWC. Good post Wimbledont. And it's not just her looks in her favour in the marketability stakes but her upbeat personality too.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

Helen40 wrote:
hmmm, well she's WR 366 at the mo, and just turned 18, so I'm not sure whether that puts her in a special category or not. I remember there being something about a at least WR 250 unless you were a junior. She got one last year didn't she? But she's not had such a good year due to injury this year, or played Fed cup (correct me if I'm wrong).

Swan's pro career feels like it hasn't started yet. Not a MDWC contender for me this time around. QWC would be fair.

Michael D · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
wimbledont - I know exactly what you mean and you phrased it very well.

There are plenty of dangers in that though for Katie... especially if it causes her focus to drift from her tennis, which is where it needs to continue to be... It's great though to see all of Katie, Gabi and Harriet reach career highs this week, as well as Laura's big jump back into the 100s.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

skibbarriz wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
hmmm, well she's WR 366 at the mo, and just turned 18, so I'm not sure whether that puts her in a special category or not. I remember there being something about a at least WR 250 unless you were a junior. She got one last year didn't she? But she's not had such a good year due to injury this year, or played Fed cup (correct me if I'm wrong).
Swan's pro career feels like it hasn't started yet. Not a MDWC contender for me this time around. QWC would be fair.

I would argue that is has started, but injury has hampered. However I do agree that a QWC would be fair unless she has an absolutely amazing grass court run.