No Deep Runs for Wimbledon Wild Playing cards

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, June 27, 2024
Picture credit score: Rob Newell/Digicam Sport

Wimbledon girls wild playing cards shall be dumped from the deck throughout week one, ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe asserts.

4 of the eight Wimbledon ladies’ wild card recipients—2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, Briton Emma Raducanu and Caroline Wozniacki—are former Grand Slam champions. Osaka, Kerber and Wozniacki every returned to the professional Tour after giving delivery.

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Two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic was awarded a Wimbledon wild card after her run to the Birmingham remaining final week. 4 British girls—Francesca Jones, Yuriko Lily Miyazaki, Heather Watson and Raducanu—obtained main-draw wild playing cards.

In a Zoom name with the media to advertise ESPN’s Wimbledon protection beginning Monday, July 1st, Tennis Now requested ESPN analysts Patrick McEnroe and Chrissie Evert if any of the Wimbledon wild playing cards, or former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, who would not have a wild card however is an all-court hazard when wholesome, are able to making a second-week run at The Championships. 

McEnroe stated he would not see it occurring for a wide range of causes, together with what he calls an absence of selection grass-court tennis requires.

McEnroe says Osaka performs a straight-forward power-based baseline sport. He factors to Wozniacki and Kerber’s struggles since returning to the Tour after giving delivery, although Wozniack beat 2023 Wimbledon semifinalist Elina Svitolina to achieve the Dangerous Homburg quarterfinals this week. McEnroe suggests neither Raducanu, who toppled world No. 5 Jessica Pegula on Eastbourne’s grass yesterday for her first High 10 profession win, nor Andreescu, who pushed French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini to 3 units in her first occasion again at Roland Garros then defeated Osaka en path to the ‘s-Hertogenbosch remaining on grass, possess sufficient selection for a second-week Wimbledon run.

“It is very uncommon you see somebody play straight-ahead tennis and be capable of win Wimbledon, notably now because the gamers have simply gotten higher,” McEnroe informed Tennis Now throughout ESPN’s Zoom name. “It is extra of a backcourt sport. There’s extra slice, extra selection.

“That is a brief manner of me saying that I do not assume any of these girls could make an enormous run at Wimbledon.”

Corridor of Famer Chrissie Evert says she’s a believer in Raducanu’s sport and says the 2021 US Open champion can experience a house wave of help at SW19.

“Emma has such wonderful, like, basis and fundamentals, that little or no can go unsuitable in her sport as a result of she is so strong,” Evert informed Tennis Now. “I believe the accidents, the stress of profitable the US Open, has actually saved her from enhancing much more so.

“She’s extra mature proper now. She’s overcome adversity and gotten stronger. She appears to be completely satisfied and having fun with her tennis. I for one am trying ahead to watching her at Wimbledon.”

In fact, only a few of us have first-hand expertise dealing with a Grand Slam champion wild card on a Grand Slam stage as Patrick McEnroe does.

US Open followers effectively bear in mind Patrick McEnroe constructing a two-sets to like lead over a then 174th-ranked wild card Jimmy Connors earlier than the flamable Connors erupted for a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 comeback win within the Flushing Meadows first spherical sparking his spectacular 1991 US Open semifinal run at age 39.

We have seen flashes of inspiring kind from each Osaka and Andreescu this season.

In Paris final month, Osaka constructed a 5-2 third-set lead over reigning Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek and held match level. A cussed Swiatek fought off a match level within the third set of their second-round assembly earlier than battling again to finish a comeback 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5 victory over the four-time main champion Osaka.

Nonetheless, McEnroe factors to the actual fact Osaka has by no means surpassed the third spherical at Wimbledon, has not performed The Championships since 2019 and has conceded she feels extra comfy on clay than grass as indicators she is going to wrestle at SW19 although he says she will be able to problem on the US Open.

“In addition to Osaka performed on the French, and I believe she will be able to play nice on the US Open, for instance, the place it is a typical bounce, she’s received 4 onerous courtroom majors, I do not assume she has the flexibility to make an enormous, massive run,” McEnroe informed Tennis Now. “Similar with Raducanu, at the least at Wimbledon.

“Wozniacki, her comeback has not been nice from a sure standpoint. She’s aggressive, however she’s not profitable quite a lot of matches.”

In terms of versatility, few girls can match Andreescu, who performed slice forehands, slice backhands, moon balls and drop photographs, all within the house of at two-game span, toppling Osaka on grass earlier this month.

Keep in mind, final summer time Andreescu pushed Wimbledon finalist and world No. 6 Ons Jabeur to 3 units within the Wimbledon third spherical earlier than the Tunisian prevailed, 6-4, within the third set and went on to her second straight remaining. 

McEnroe says the dearth of match play and confidence shall be street blocks to an Andreescu Wimbledon run. 

“Andreescu perhaps has probably the most versatility of these gamers that I simply talked about, however I simply do not assume has the idea and the boldness now that she will be able to make an enormous run,” McEnroe stated. “I would be stunned if any a type of gamers make the second week of Wimbledon on the ladies’s aspect.”