21st June, 2023
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams and former world number three Elina Svitolina has been given wildcard admission, according to Wimbledon organisers on Wednesday.
Williams, 43, has five times won the year’s third major and returned to action this month following a five-month injury hiatus.
Williams is now ranked 697th and competing in the Birmingham Classic. She won her first match against a top-50 opponent in nearly four years on Monday, defeating Italian Camile Giorgi in the round of 32.
Following a maternity break, Ukrainian Svitolina reached the French Open quarter-finals before losing to Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova on her comeback to grass earlier this week in Birmingham.
British number one Katie Boulter is among the other wildcard entries after winning her first Women’s Tennis Association title at the Nottingham Open over the weekend.
Boulter will be joined by compatriots Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Heather Watson as wildcard entries.
In the men’s tournament, Liam Broady, Jan Choinski, Arthur Fery, David Goffin, George Loffhagen and Ryan Peniston were handed wildcard entries.
Reuters