According to Zachary Wimer of tennis-infinity.com on Wednesday, three wildcard spots have been announced to non-British players for Wimbledon in 2023. Players that are making their way to the draw even though they did not have enough world ranking points to initially qualify are Venus Williams of the United States and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine on the women’s side and David Goffin of Belgium on the men’s side.
Williams, who is 697th in the world, is a seven-time major champion. She previously won five Wimbledons (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2008), and two United States Open titles (2000 and 2001). The 43-year-old has already made tennis headlines this week for her dramatic three hours and 17 minute win over Camila Giorgi of Italy in the first round of the Birmingham Classic by a score of 7-6, 4-6, 7-6. It is interesting that Williams has won 49 WTA titles, but the only five titles she has won on grass have come at Wimbledon.
Svitolina is currently 73rd in the world. She saw her world ranking drop to 508 when she took time off with her pregnancy and subsequent birth of her child with French tennis star and husband Gael Monfils. Since her return, Svitolina won the 2023 Strasbourg Open in France leading up to the French Open. In the final, Svitolina beat Anna Blinkova of Russia, 6-4, 6-3. Svitiolina is a two-time grand slam semifinalist. She made the final four in Wimbledon and the United States Open in 2019.
Goffin is a four-time grand slam quarterfinalist who is currently ranked 124th in the world, but has been as high as seventh. He had separate injuries to his knee and leg in 2022 before missing the 2023 Australian Open because of an illness. It is interesting that Canada’s Milos Raonic was not given a wildcard spot yet. Raonic, a Wimbledon finalist in 2016, returned to the Netherlands last week, but withdrew from Queen’s this week because of a shoulder injury.
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