Wimbledon Qualifying serves up exciting appetiser
And just like that, the British grass season is in full swing. While the world's top players battle it out in grass tournaments across the United Kingdom this week, Wimbledon's Qualifying Competition remains conspicuously inconspicuous by comparison.
Yet it deserves every bit of glory.
Wimbledon's Qualifying Competition is held the week prior to The Championships (Monday, 23 June to Thursday, 26 June).
Whilst there are some higher profile tournaments happening concurrently in London (Hurlingham and The Boodles), Wimbledon's Qualifying Competition should be a fixture in tennis fans' diaries. Main draw places on the line
For a start, the £15 tickets (about R366), are a steal.
Fans are treated to men's and women's singles, from 11:00 till dusk, to determine the final main draw places for The Championships 2025.
For those unsuccessful in securing a ticket for The Championships, Wimbledon's Qualifying Competition is an extension of the main event in more ways than one.
Whilst qualifying takes place off-site (Wimbledon is the only major that holds its qualifying tournament off-site), the courts, infrastructure, signage, staff, and even the strawberries are all managed by The All England Lawn Tennis Club.
It is quintessentially Wimbledon.
As for the players, there is every chance of seeing a past champion or two, or a rising star from last month's Roland-Garros.
Take former US Open Champion Bianca Andreescu, for starters.
The Canadian drew crowds who got more bang for their £15, in watching her progress to the second round, when she lost to compatriot Carson Branstine in three sets – 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-1.
Branstine also defeated French hope Lois Boisson, the fairytale star of last month's Roland-Garros, where the then ranked 361 wildcard progressed to the semi-finals.
Whilst her ranking shot up to world No 65 as a result, Boisson still had to go through Wimbledon Qualifying, as she was outside the top 400 at the time of applying.
Sadly the magic wasn't repeated, as she was defeated in three closely fought sets 6-2, 6-7 (7/1), 6-4.
Wimbledon 2024 and Australian Open 2025 doubles champion Taylor Townsend of the USA is through to the main draw after upsetting Swiss hope Celine Naeff in a straight sets victory in Thursday's final (6-3, 6-3).
Former world No 11 Alizé Cornet's Wimbledon hopes were dashed in Thursday's final, after a two sets (7-5, 6-1) defeat by fellow Frenchwoman Elsa Jacquemot.
Cornet came out of retirement earlier this year after a year off, during which she published a second novel, and appeared in a reality television show.
Britain's hopes, however, look bright thanks to world No 719 Oliver Tarvet, who has secured a Wimbledon main draw place.
His defeat of world No 144 Alexander Blockx of Germany (6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1) in Thursday's final qualifying round means that Wimbledon's main draw will have the highest number of British players (23), since 1984.
The Championships, Wimbledon begin on Monday, 30 June.
Amisha Savani is reporting exclusively from the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon for The South African .
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