Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, Venus Williams and 10 British players have been awarded Wimbledon wildcards. But no Russian or Belarussian players have been invited after they were banned last year.
World No 73 Svitolina, who reached the French Open quarter-finals, has been an outspoken critic of the invasion of her homeland. She has refused to shake the hands of Russian and Belarusian opponents, including after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in the last eight in Paris.
Five-time champion Willams, 43, will return after missing last year’s tournament.
She will be joined by British No 1 Katie Boutler, Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan, Heather Watson, Liam Broady, Jan Choinski, Arthur Fery, George Loffhagen and Ryan Peniston.
All wildcards are guaranteed to bank £55,000 even if they lose in the first round. The cut-off to get enter automatically was May 22 – before the French Open.
In normal circumstances, Russian players like teenage star Mirra Andreeva and French Open quarter-finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova would have been invited.
But Pavlyuchenko, who climbed from world No 333 to world No 96 laughed at the idea of getting a wildcard. “Are you serious?” she said. “Do you think after the situation last year they would give me a wildcard this year?”
She added sarcastically: “I can try and ask. Actually, you’re right, thank you. I will try and ask, and I’ll let you know in the next press conference. Fingers crossed.”
There are also nine all-British doubles pairings on the wildcard list with Dart and Watson among those to join up. John Isner and Jack Sock have also been included on the intial wildcard list for the men’s doubles.
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