Wimbledon 2023: Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina handed wild cards

The seven-time Grand Slam champion is one of the seven players to be named in the wild card list that was released on Wednesday.

Published : Jun 21, 2023 15:44 IST - 2 MINS READ

Venus Williams in action at the Birmingham Classic tournament.
Venus Williams in action at the Birmingham Classic tournament. | Photo Credit: AP
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Venus Williams in action at the Birmingham Classic tournament. | Photo Credit: AP

Five-time Wimbledon singles champion Venus Williams has been given a wild card and will feature at the upcoming Wimbledon 2023 Championships.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion is one of the seven players to be named in the wild card list that was released on Wednesday. The list also includes British players Katie Boulter and Heather Watson along with Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina for the women’s draw.

Williams was in action at a grass-court event in the Netherlands and the 43-year-old upset 48th-ranked Camile Giorgi 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) after more than three hours at the Birmingham Classic for her first victory over a player in the top 50 in nearly four years.

Williams was out for six months because of a hamstring injury sustained in Auckland in the first week of the year. The seven-time Grand Slam champion next plays Jelena Ostapenko at the Wimbledon warm-up event.

Williams’ younger sister Serena is a seven-time Wimbledon champion. Serena lost in the first round at last year’s tournament and soon after announced her decision to step away from tennis.

In the men’s singles, Belgian David Goffin, the world no 124, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2019 and 2022, was among the men to receive wild card entry.

Along with Goffin, Ryan Peniston has received a wild card along with fellow British players Arthur Fery, Jan Choinski and George Loffhagen. Ten singles wild cards have been handed to British male and female players as one more women’s singles and two men’s singles wild cards are yet to be announced.

The championships 2023 begins on July 3.

Wild Card Champions
Gentlemen’s Singles 2001 - Goran Ivanisevic
Gentlemen’s Doubles 2012 - Jonathan Marray & Frederik Nielsen
Ladies’ Doubles 2000 and 2002 - Serena Williams & Venus Williams
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