The Wimbledon Pre Qualifying event, otherwise known as the “Wild Card Play-Offs”, is played behind ‘closed doors’, on the Southlands courts at the All England Club, SW19. It is a 16 player draw (British men and women), of which 10 places are filled with Direct Acceptance players based on rankings, and a further 6 are made up of Wild Card places. Of these six, on the women’s side, two this year (2024) are given to the top two British juniors on the ITF Junior ranking list; one is given to the winner of the British Tour event in West Worthing; one is given to the top ranked NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) player; and the two remaining are left to be given out by the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) at their discretion. On the men’s side, one wild card is given to the winner of the British Tour event in West Worthing; one is given to the winner of the Progress Tour event in Cromer; one is for the top ranked NCAA player; one is for the runner up of the Junior Nationals; and the final two are for use at the LTA’s discretion.
The event is a nice one but the level of stress written all over the players faces is easy to see. There is so much at stake. To secure a Qualifying Wild Card, a player must win three matches – one on the Thursday, and two back to back on the Friday. It’s tough and every player wants the win just as much as the next. The last two players standing in each of the men’s and women’s draws, are guaranteed a place in the Wimbledon Qualifying event which starts the following Monday. There is no prize money or ranking points involved in the Wild Card Play-Off event itself – but the reward for winning is a place on the Wimbledon players list – and this is huge and is a life long dream for each and every player out there.
Sign in for this event is the day before the start date and lots of players will add their name to the list, but it is only the lucky few who get included in the draw. The whole event gives those fortunate enough to make it into the draw, a little insight into the main event itself – The Championships – and no doubt this gives inspiration to all. The strictly white rule is in place and all the players respect the clothing guidance and turn out in pristine whites, with a hope that this will not only impress any Wimbledon members who may come out to watch, but also give a little extra motivation during matches.
Day One (Thursday) is busy. Lots of players competing for court time then a steady stream of matches throughout the day. By the end of this first day each of the mens and womens draws has reduced from 16 players to just 8.
Day Two is less busy but there is huge tension in the air. Everyone is fighting for the same thing – the big prize. By lunchtime the draws have reduced from 8 to 4 and the site is much quieter. The groundsmen are still beavering around, working hard to make the venue pristine and the ball kids are on their best behaviour as this is also a test for them. They are being watched and decisions on their performance are being made. The best ball kids get allocated the best courts at the Championships, so they are all focused and working as hard and efficiently as they can. There is a lot at stake for them as well!
At the end of Day 2 (Friday) there are two men and two women remaining in each draw. Each of these is rewarded with their place in the Qualifying event the following week. Sometimes, if the wild card allocation for the Qualifying event has not been filled, the All England Club Selection Committee may offer a wild card to one of the players who ‘lost’ in the final round of matches, but this is rare and should certainly never be assumed.
In a way, for the players involved, taking part in the Wild Card Play Offs is just as stressful as being in the The Championships themselves. Obviously there are different things at stake but the pressure and stress felt by the players is undoubtedly just as significant. Every player wants to be a part of a Grand Slam and to lose in the final round of the play offs hurts so badly (speaking from the perspective of parent of a player who has been there more than once). So close but yet so far ……….
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