Three British Players Close to Wimbledon Dream
Three British players, Emily Appleton, Oliver Tarvet, and Hamish Stewart, are on the verge of achieving their dreams of competing in the Wimbledon main draw, each needing just one more victory to secure their spots.
Recent Matches
Appleton, currently ranked 403rd in the world, triumphed over Czech player Barbora Palicova in a thrilling encounter that concluded with a tense 10-point tiebreak, finishing with scores of 6-2, 6-7(6-8), and 7-6(10-7). This win propelled her into a showdown against Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec in the decisive third round of qualifying, happening Thursday.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Tarvet, ranked 719th, delivered an impressive performance against Canadian competitor Alexis Galarneau, winning 6-3, 6-2. He will now prepare for a match against Belgian Alexander Blockx.
Scottish player Stewart, also 25 years of age and positioned at world number 550, overcame France’s Luca van Assche in a closely contested match, finishing 7-6(7-3), 4-6, and 7-6(11-9). His next opponent will be Swiss player Leandro Riedi.
Other Qualifiers and Setbacks
Despite the promise shown by these three, not all British qualifiers were so fortunate. Player Ryan Peniston saw his Wimbledon aspirations dashed by Spain’s Martin Landaluce, going down with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Paul Jubb fell short against Giulio Zeppieri, suffering a 6-3, 6-2 defeat, while Oliver Bonding lost to Argentina’s Juan Pablo Ficovich 7-5, 6-4. In the women’s qualifier, Amarni Banks also faced elimination, losing to Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
Upcoming Main Draw and Noteworthy Developments
To qualify for Wimbledon, players must navigate three rounds, with the main draw set to be announced on Friday at 10:00 BST, just before the tournament’s commencement on Monday.
In another noteworthy development, French tennis veteran Alize Cornet edged closer to a potential Wimbledon comeback by defeating Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Cornet, who previously set a record for competing in 69 consecutive Grand Slam events from 2007 to 2024, had taken a hiatus from the sport after the 2022 French Open. Twice a fourth-round Wimbledon contender, including a memorable victory over Serena Williams in 2014, she will next face compatriot Elsa Jacquemot.
Canadian Players in Action
In a thrilling matchup, Canada’s Carson Branstine continued her impressive run by defeating fellow Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the former US Open champion, with a score of 7-6(7-3), 4-6, 6-1. Following her earlier victory against breakout French player Lois Boisson at Roland Garros, Branstine will now aim for a spot in the final qualifying round against Raluca Serban from Cyprus. The 24-year-old Australian Open and French Open girls’ doubles champion has managed to persevere through her long-time friend’s recent struggles with fitness.
