Week 26 - Wimbledon Women's Qualifying Singles, Roehampton, Great Britain - Grass

Michael D · All-time great

Week 26 - Wimbledon Women's Qualifying Singles, Roehampton, Great Britain - Grass

Jan · Hall of fame

Sooo close

Andy Parker · Strong Club Player

Shame for Sam - she did very well to get that far and fought hard again today.

Does anyone know the rules for Lucky Losers - I was trying to remind myself. Off the top of my head, I had a feeling that Wimbledon takes the 4 highest ranked Round 3 losers and in case of withdrawals, draws from those 4 to give someone a place in Round One.

I can't find anywhere on the net to confirm that though - I was looking because I was wondering if Sam has any hope of going through as a Lucky Loser, or if indeed one of my favourite overseas players, Aranxta Rus, could go through as a Lucky Loser.

If I'm correct, then the 4 lucky losers in with a chance at the moment would be Davis seeded 3, McHale 6, Rybakina 8 and Bouzkova 13, though if Anna Blinkova seeded 2 fails to win, she would become the top Lucky Loser. I also don't know if one of the 4 gets in, whether the 5th Lucky Loser gets into contention, or if they just draw from the remaining 3 players.

No doubt one of our hugely knowledgeable bods on here knows this rule and how Wimbledon apply it.

Mervatron2 · Futures level

Shame that Sam came so close.

I hope the grass season gives her confidence to continue the climb back up now.

She's had some good results in North America in the past so hopefully she can do so again over the rest of the summer.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes real pity. But well done to Sam for her recent weeks. Very good to see.

At least these 30 qualifying points are banked for her pre Wimbledon ranking next year and there to give her more chance of direct Wimbledon qualifying by ranking. Her updated post Wimbledon 143 ranking points will have her around WR 320 and GB #11.

More generally, hoping she can just keep up form and fitness and now gather hard court wins.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

So these are the 16 women qualifiers:

(WC) Gauff
(29) Martincova
Ahn
Rodionova
(30) Kalinskaya
(20) Juvan
McNally
Flink
(22) Badosa
Gatto-Monticone
Ruse
(12) Bonaventure
(24) Bogdan
(17) Haddad Maia
Kerkhove
Wickmayer

One lucky loser spot opening up thus far.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

My worst nightmare is that one of our players gets Gauff in the 1St round.

indiana · Tennis legend

Thanks Ace. So just one that was seeded to qualify.

By the make-up of qualifying we are talking about a tightly packed ranking field but I imagine still pretty unusual.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Obviously one or two disappointing results there like Sam, and I'd imagine for a fair few on here, Lisicki, but some good stories. Gauff and McNally appearing in their first ever grand slam main draw, both will likely be significant players on the WTA tour in a few years. At the other end of her career, Gatto-Monticone at 31 is playing in just her 2nd grand slam (after the French a few weeks ago), and had never played a pro match on grass before Nottingham, where she retired against Tara in qualifying.

On a personal note, nice to also see Ruse back in a slam. Only her 2nd, and the first since last Wimbledon where she had 6 MPs against Radwanska, but really caught the eye and ended up losing to a nice ovation - www.youtube.com/watch

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Thanks Ace. So just one that was seeded to qualify.

By the make-up of qualifying we are talking about a tightly packed ranking field but I imagine still pretty unusual.

Yes, without going back over the years, I'd imagine it would be very unusual. 6 did crash out today and there was just 15 top seeds as 33rd seed Larsson replaced #7 Kr Pliskova very late after Andreescu withdrew, but even then, the top seed in that section Hon (23) didn't make the FQR.

Last 4 Wimbledon's:

2018 - 3/12 top seeds, 4 lost at final stage

2017 - 3/12, 5 lost at final stage

2016 - 4/12, 1 lost in FQR

2015 - 4/12, 4 lost in FQR

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, good to point out Gatto-Monticone's success, AV, at this comparatively late stage in her career. Always nice to see.

On the young side, 18 year-old Juvan also won through.

Personally, I was very pleased (although not surprised) to see Kalinskaya win. Her match against Kostyuk was the stand out one in round 1 and she was playing some awesome tennis.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Looks like Bouzkova (definitely), McHale and Davis have LL spots, so 2 more must have withdrawn since Cibulkova.

Andy Parker · Strong Club Player

Is it the top seeded losers in the third round who get Lucky Losers slots Ace? Where are you getting that info from - the Wimbledon entry lists page hasn't shown anyone withdrawing since Monday (not even Cibulkova).

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Thursday 27th of June 2019 06:36:03 PM

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Andy Parker wrote:
Is it the top seeded losers in the third round who get Lucky Losers slots Ace? Where are you getting that info from - the Wimbledon entry lists page hasn't shown anyone withdrawing since Monday (not even Cibulkova).

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Thursday 27th of June 2019 06:36:03 PM

Bouzkova is definitely in as she Tweeted - https://twitter.com/MarieBouzkova/status/1144290599287296000

Cibulkova offically pulled out yesterday, and judging by this, McHale and Davis have got in as well - https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1144296724112060418

I think they have added 2 extra places to the slots available, so in this case 3 have pulled out and 5 were in contention and were drawn accordingly. I believe if there's a further withdrawal, Blinkova will get in, and if 2 more withdrawals, Rybakina as well. Sam (and Liam) unfortunately have no chance.

Not sure who the other withdrawals are, but Kvitova was a big doubt and was going to be making a decision this week (so could well be her), Jabeur's injured ankle might make her a possibility, Ostapenko retired in Eastbourne the other day, and Tatjana Maria was apparently struggling and a doubt, so I'd suspect it would be 2 of those 4.

If Petra was going to withdraw, then I hope it's her (I'd like her to play), but she pulled out on the day in RG and it messed up the draw as a Lucky Loser came into her top end seeding position and that kind of messed up that section. If she does withdraw before the draw then the 9th seed would come into those slots, and keep the draw fairer and balanced.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Thursday 27th of June 2019 06:56:03 PM

Andy Parker · Strong Club Player

Thanks for that full reply Ace - very much appreciated.