For me, the wildcards I would give would include Harriet, Fran, Katie B, Katie S and Emma; I think all of these bar Katie S should get one, and in the case of Katie S, how she performs in the next months will be crucial to whether she sneaks in or ends up with a wildcard qualie slot.

Matilda should also get one to the qualies, I think, but it is surely too early to give her a main draw, unless she really puts a run together..

Harriet is still easily the closest Brit to the top 100 and so deserves a place if other Brits are getting them.

Everyone knows of Katie B's injuries and she deserves all the help we can give her, to get her ranking improved and back into the top 100 - when fit, she is still capable of beating the top players, and a victory over Gauff in Australia this year, shows that she still has the class, even if her current form is pretty dire.

Fran has improved an awful lot over the last year and a half, and her fantastic Aussie qualifying performances will surely be enough to get her a wildcard.

Emma hasn't played a lot, but I think everyone believes that she will improve a lot in the next couple of years and I think she will be probably be rewarded with a place (though the wildcard committee would no doubt like to see her play a few tournaments before Wimbledon).

After that, it is arguable, but I hope that Katie S can get a few wins in the next 3 months and get a wildcard, and Jodie and Naiktha, or even Sam could get one if they show enough form, but I am inclined to think that they will probably be given wildcards into the qualies, unless they have enough ranking points to make it directly.

Anyway whatever everyone thinks, there is still three months of tennis to be played, so different players will go up and down in the rankings, and some may be more deserving of wildcards, than others come June. I hope we do use plenty though; I feel strongly that playing at Wimbledon is the one time that we should show favouritism to our own players; if you can't get inspired by Wimbledon, by the crowds, big tournament and being in the spotlight, then you really shouldn't probably be a tennis player, and I think over the years, that a lot of our players have benefitted from wildcards. The Aussies, French and Americans do it for their Grand Slam tournaments, and it feels like a strange kind of British reserve that we don't want to help our own, and I am sure that if other nations had Grand Slam tournaments, they would not think twice about promoting their own players.

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Sunday 21st of March 2021 12:05:48 AM

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Sunday 21st of March 2021 12:08:32 AM

Chris wrote:

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When do wta points start coming off. Anybody please

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Pass.

I had thought it would be in the latest 15/03 rankings which were effectively the rankings anniversary of the oldest 2019 additions, 18/03/19 including Indian Wells 2019. 

But whereas the ATP, as advertised, moved to now just giving these half points, nothing was deducted by the WTA.

Anyone? 

I did notice that the OER 15/03 live rankings had been expecting deductions but none came.

My GB main draw wildcards would:

Dart (definitely)
Jones (definitely)
Boulter (definitely)

Burrage (possibly)
Swan (possibly)
Raducannu (possibly)

Top three because of previous performance at Wimbledon (Dart R3 and Boults R2) and Fran in Australia.

JonH comes home wrote:

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I know this is the womens section but I think the candidates in mens are much fewer. Maybe because we have 3 direct entries. But Andy, Liam, Jay and Jack Draper are all I can see getting in. And Andy may well get in direct in time and Liam could get close.

apologies but it wouldnt be worth opening a mens thread as discussions would be much less so I thought Id comment here. 

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 21st of March 2021 09:57:44 PM

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 And perhaps add Jubb. McHugh and Matusevich as young pretenders who might be discussed for QWC

Bringing this back to the women, I'm surprised that some people don't think Katie B won't get a MDWC. This is the first Wimbledon after her return from her injury. In an individual based sport, that she put her country before the risk to her career of playing through injury and the subsequent impact on her ranking will undoubtedly be recognised with a MDWC.

Harriet is, as most people have said, a shoo in.

Fran is more likely than not to get a MDWC with results thus far.

I agree Sam is almost certainly going to be overlooked.

That leaves Emma, Katie S, Naiktha and Jodie.

Emma i think will be back in May as it looks like the assessments for A levels at Emma's school finish at the end of April. If so, that leaves a couple of months and the entire grass season to get in some matches. Emma is clearly at the top of the list for a MDWC on development criteria. WCs are often given to players with future potential for the experience so results when she does return may not be that important. Providing Emma does play in May and June, a MDWC is a certainty I feel.

Katie S is perhaps 50/50. I think she is still well regarded by the LTA and she has had some success this year at lower levels, so is likely to be on the list of recommendations.

Naiktha and Jodie will need to have some success in the next 3 months to make their case.

The problem will be the reduced number of 100Ks that those on the border line don't have much opportunity to make their case on grass. They'll have to do it with QWCs in the WTA tournaments.