Wimbledon 2013 and 2014 - women's WCs & pre-draw discussion

Bob the Ball Boy · Junior player

RE: Wimbledon 2013

ricardo89 · Junior player

I hear that the wildcards will be announced tomorrow does anyone know if this is true?

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, it's true.

ricardo89 · Junior player

Wow it's come round sooo quick, what are your final predictions Indiana?

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Well, most of them. The usually hold one or two back until closer to the start.

denver23 · Social player

Peter too wrote:
When it comes to wild cards in big tournaments like GS you have to remember that tennis is a business and the organisers want to maximise revenue. If local players encourage more spectators, more advertisers and more sponsors then local players will get most/all of the wild cards.

I'm not totally convinced about that - particularly that we now have three players (Murray, Robson & Watson) who qualify automatically rather than by the back door but all of whom I would say represent this country rather than a product of this country/LTA. The effect on attendances if no other British players were in the main draw I feel would be minimal - only the few die hard British Tennis Fans who follow the progress, or non-progress in some cases, over the course of the year would be that bothered - the vast majority wouldn't really give a toss. I also feel it's a dam shame that a player who has worked hard to get his ranking inside the top 110, or maintain it, has to lose out purely because of someone's greed or desire to make money. Surely an event like Wimbledon wouldn't suffer that much financially if it reduced the number of wild cards to say 3 - 4 absolute max - which would still leave room for local players if we really have to have them. But 8 wc's is far too many in my opinion.

denver23 · Social player

jake270392 wrote:
Helen I am going to answer your points.... here I go;

A) to be able to be rewarded a wild card you have to be ranked inside the top 250 so I don't understand this constant bashing of who's more deserving as you have had to have some success to get that point in the first place.

B) every country regardless if its a Grand Slam country rewards their own players wild cards and secondly we are the only grand slam where we actually reward other seas players wild cards on recent success, so we should actually be applauding our self for doing this.

C) Again, we are fair and I don't want to repeat myself but we have the 250 rule and as we have seen especially on the women's side , the competition to get to that ranking has been credible.

Jake - my response to this

a) The top 250 makes no difference - there is still room for bias and injustice and you are clearly bias. It is totally wrong and totally unfair imo that a player ranked 105 should have to hack it through qualifying whilst someone ranked 205, and who have made no progress in addition from his/her ranking the year before, gets exemption.

b) we are only seem to be fair when we have run out of home grown players to award wc's to, and as I don't like the current system or like wc's very much I will not be applauding. Didn't the French award a wc to one or two non-french this year albeit reciprocal?

c) If it was fair I wouldn't be posting. If all other tennis playing nations had a GS then I might be more inclined to agree with you.

Josh · Challenger level

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2013-06-12/201306121371039416628.html

Wildcards announced here

Just James and Kyle so far but 4 more to be announced.

Good news is after missing out last year Rice/Thornley have a doubles WC

albino · Intermediate Club Player

EVENT 3: LADIES SINGLES
1. BALTACHA, Elena (GBR)
2.KEOTHAVONG, Anne (GBR)
3.KONTA, Johanna (GBR)
4.MOORE, Tara (GBR)
5.MURRAY, Samantha (GBR)
6.PETKOVIC, Andrea (GER)
7.To be announced
8.To be announced

QUALIFYING LADIES SINGLES
1.BROADY, Naomi (GBR)
2.CARRERAS, Amanda (GBR)
3.WHYBOURN, Lisa (GBR)
4.Wild card Play-off place
5.Wild card Play-off place
6.To be announced
7.To be announced
8.To be announced

Pretty much as expected. Any chance Lisa could be upgraded with a good run in Nottingham?

albino · Intermediate Club Player

EVENT 4: LADIES DOUBLES
1.KEOTHAVONG, Anne (GBR) and KONTA, Johanna (GBR)
2.MOORE, Tara (GBR) and SOUTH, Melanie (GBR)
3.MURRAY, Samantha (GBR) and WINDLEY, Jade (GBR)
4.PEER, Shahar (ISR) and YAN, Zi (CHN)
5.SLATER, Nicola (GBR) and WHYBOURN, Lisa (GBR)

PockyTastic · Futures level

Really happy to see Nicola Slater and Amanda Carreras getting nods.

indiana · Tennis legend

Really pleased for Nik.

Rather surprised about Amanda, was thinking more Emily or possibly Katy Dunne. It looks as if ranking has played a big part, in that all the Brits inside the top 350 ( excl. Brydan ) have received at least a qualifying WC.

PaulM · Tennis legend

I think those wildcards are spot on.

PockyTastic · Futures level

indiana wrote:
Really pleased for Nik.

Rather surprised about Amanda, was thinking more Emily or possibly Katy Dunne. It looks as if ranking has played a big part, in that all the Brits inside the top 350 ( excl. Brydan ) have received at least a qualifying WC.

There are extra spaces in the qualifying draw beyond the 2 reserved for play off finalists, so perhaps Katy or Em will bag one of those? Otherwise I guess they'll both have to play the play offs... (I like both players, so I'd love for them both to get QWCs).

Bob the Ball Boy · Junior player

I like the WC's other than I'd have given katy dunne a qualies one.

jade & webley smith may not be able to make pre qualies if they win today, as it starts tomorrow... would be a shame... don't think it affects any other players (though I haven't exactly done a thorough check!!)