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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2008 14:52:01 GMT -5
London - Wimbledon spread the wealth with men's wild cards, handing three of the first five to foreign players on Tuesday. Under the Lawn Tennis Association's new get-tough policy of awarding free entries into the grass-court Grand Slam only to home hopes with at least a ranking of 250, Jamie Baker slipped in just under the wire. The 250th-ranked 21-year-old whose only ATP match this season was an Australian Open first-round defeat, joined former semi-finalist Xavier Malisse of Belgium in gaining free entry. The club also bestowed cards on British number two Alex Bogdanovic, whose 243 ranking places him 232 spots behind Andy Murray. Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who reached the French Open fourth round and beat Argentine David Nalbandian, plus Canadian Frank Dancevic   were also given wildcards. On the women's side, British players received four of six awarded so far. Among the recipients - Elena Baltacha, Naomi Cavaday, Katie O'Brien and Melanie South - only Baltacha has ever won a match at the All England Club, reaching the third round six years ago. Poland's Urszula Radwanka and Carla Suarez Navarro  of Spain, a Roland Garros quarter-finalist, also were awarded free entry. Three more men's invitations and two for the women remain to be offered. |
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Post by sasha on Jun 10, 2008 15:14:50 GMT -5
Nice to see Carla get one.
Has England run out of shitty Brits to give WCs to?
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Post by Denise49IQ on Jun 10, 2008 16:06:33 GMT -5
Nice to see Carla get one. Has England run out of shitty Brits to give WCs to? Great Britain has an endless stream of shitty WC hopefuls. Ugh. Can we stop giving them to the same crop of scrubs year after year already.  |
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Post by janie on Jun 11, 2008 5:52:05 GMT -5
Has England run out of shitty Brits to give WCs to? They've got that new rule that their players need to be top 250 to get MD WCs with their nice paycheck, and few shitty Brits are top 250. But don't worry, plenty more shitty Brits will be receiving Q WCs! But I hope some of those will go to deserving furriners, too (not you, Alexandra Stevenson! That was NINE YEARS AGO you did that.) |
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Post by Brinyi on Jun 11, 2008 10:10:15 GMT -5
I hope there is no way that Madison Brengle will be awarded one.
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Post by sasha on Jun 11, 2008 15:36:43 GMT -5
Alex has been injured for those 9 years. Be nice.
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Post by Grarliner on Jun 11, 2008 17:02:24 GMT -5
Why U-Rad? Has she done something this year to warrant one? I agree with the Suarez-Navarro WC, although she probably has never seen a grass court in her life. Katie O'Brien and Melanie South are ... not the most undeserving recipients. They are both at or near personal career-highs, and O'Brien at #104 is fairly deserving. And I can't be too harsh about Baltacha or Cavaday getting a WC. Elena has worked hard to get a respectable ranking again (#144) and given her one third round an aeon ago, well, the Brits could do worse. Cavaday is about the ugliest woman in creation (http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/Playerbio.asp?PlayerID=313111), that alone may justify her WC on charitable grounds. Besides, she almost beat coked-up Martina last year.  |
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Post by Grarliner on Jun 11, 2008 17:02:58 GMT -5
I hope there is no way that Madison Brengle will be awarded one. You know those lawyers always win in the end. |
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Post by Edna Krabappel on Jun 11, 2008 17:06:52 GMT -5
Why U-Rad? Has she done something this year to warrant one? The defending girls' champion. But, she's already had her fair share of WCs and failed to make an impression each time, so they might have as well broken the tradition. Hopefully CSN will draw Castano in R1! |
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Post by lexpretend on Jun 11, 2008 17:13:07 GMT -5
If that happens it'll bring Navratilova right back out of retirement again.
A-Pav was given a WC last year when she hadn't done anything of note. These changes in the last two years or so are due to the new LTA policy that Brits ranked beneath 250 won't be handed WCs (unless they win the pre-qualifying tournament? I forget). So there's a surfeit to go to...whoever, really.
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Post by janie on Jun 13, 2008 15:12:46 GMT -5
Spadea, Ascione get Wimbledon spots Friday, June 13, 2008 WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Vincent Spadea and Thierry Ascione earned Wimbledon spots Friday when organizers decided not to award the final two of eight wild cards in the men's draw. Spadea, an American ranked 110th, and Ascione, a Frenchmen ranked 119th, were the two players next in the rankings who were eligible to play at the grass court major, which starts June 23. The 34-year-old Spadea will be at his 13th Wimbledon. He lost in the first round the past two years and his best performance was the fourth round in 2004, when he reached a career-high No. 19 ranking.  Ascione will make his second Wimbledon appearance. He lost in the first round in his only other attempt in 2004. The other men's wild-card recipients were 2002 semifinalist Xavier Malisse, Britons Jamie Baker and Alex Bogdanovic, Canada's Frank Dancevic and Jeremy Chardy of France. Australia's Samantha Stosur was awarded a wild card Friday for the women's draw, joining six others announced earlier in the week. The others are former junior No. 1 Urszula Radwanska of Poland, Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro and Britons Elena Baltacha, Naomi Cavaday, Katie O'Brien and Melanie South are the others. There is one more women's singles' wild card to be announced. |
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Post by sasha on Jun 13, 2008 15:19:42 GMT -5
Vassallo Arguello (BET) would have been next.
KOLYA IS TRYING TO RUIN BIMBLEDON
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Post by Brinyi on Jun 13, 2008 21:30:12 GMT -5
I think that's brilliant. Why give wild cards just to give them when they serve no purpose. In fact, that's the first good decision I can recall Bimbledon making. Maybe they will finally go to green clay after all!
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Post by Grarliner on Jun 14, 2008 3:17:36 GMT -5
I think that's brilliant. Why give wild cards just to give them when they serve no purpose. In fact, that's the first good decision I can recall Bimbledon making. Maybe they will finally go to green clay after all! lol. Btw, does Zheng need a 'card into the women's draw? Cuz she should totally get one. |
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Post by janie on Jun 14, 2008 5:10:06 GMT -5
Okay, this is almost complete now, except for a few remaining TBA slots. No Stevenson, Dokic or Lucic, I see; I guess we've moved on from the 90's! Gentlemen’s SinglesJamie Baker (GBR) Alex Bogdanovic (GBR) Jeremy Chardy (FRA) Frank Dancevic (CAN) Xavier Malisse (BEL) Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) Vincent Spadea (USA) Thierry Ascione (FRA) Ladies' SinglesElena Baltacha (GBR) Naomi Cavaday (GBR) Katie O’Brien (GBR) Urszula Radwankska (POL) Melanie South (GBR) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) Samantha Stosur (AUS) *To be announced Men’s DoublesJames Auckland (GBR) and Jamie Delgado (GBR) Neil Bamford (GBR) and Joshua Goodall (GBR) Richard Bloomfield (GBR) and Kenneth Skupski (GBR) Alex Bogdanovic (GBR) and Jonathan Marray (GBR) Chris Eaton (GBR) and Alexander Slabinsky Ladies’ DoublesElena Baltacha (GBR) and Naomi Cavady (GBR) Amanda Elliot (GBR) and Katie O’Brien (GBR) Anne Keothavong (GBR) and Melanie South (GBR) Anna Fitzpatrick (GBR) and Anna Hawkins (GBR) Sarah Borwell (GBR) and Jocelyn Rae (GBR) Qualifying Gentlemen's SinglesRichard Bloomfield (GBR) Edward Seator (GBR) Kenneth Skupski (GBR) Jonathan Marray (GBR) Daniel Cox (GBR) Morgan Phillips (GBR) Chris Eaton (GBR) *To be announced *To be announced Qualifying Ladies SinglesSarah Borwell (GBR) Amanda Elliot (GBR) Anna Fitzpatrick (GBR) Georgie Stoop (GBR) Anna Smith (GBR) Elizabeth Thomas (GBR) Naomi Broady (GBR) Tara Moore (GBR) |
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Post by janie on Jun 14, 2008 5:11:31 GMT -5
That 2nd men's qualy TBA slot must be a mistake. That's what I get for copying off wtaworld.
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Post by corswandt on Jun 14, 2008 6:35:36 GMT -5
Ladies’ DoublesSarah Borwell (GBR) and Jocelyn Rae (GBR) Sux. Rae + Curtis is the doubles team everyone wants to see. |
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of Spain, a Roland Garros quarter-finalist, also were awarded free entry.
