Emma Raducanu and Simona Halep will have to wait and see if they can play at the upcoming Italian Open after missing out on being handed initial Wildcards for the event.
The tournament in Rome – one of the most prestigious in tennis – is set to start in less than a fortnight, following the conclusion of the Madrid Open.
Raducanu and Halep were both given main draw Wildcards into Madrid – with Halep later withdrawing – though neither was named in the initial Wildcard announcement for Rome.
Instead, the tournament has announced six Italian players who have received a main draw place in the women’s draw, spearheaded by former Rome and French Open finalist Sara Errani.
Joining Errani in the main draw is former French Open semi-finalist Martina Trevisan, alongside Lucrezia Stefanini, Nuria Brancaccio, Matilde Paoletti, and Giorgia Pedone.
There are still two more Wildcard spots left in the women’s draw, and Raducanu and Halep are likely contenders to take those final two spots.
Halep is a former champion in Rome, while Raducanu’s status as a Grand Slam champion and resurgent star may help her chances.
However, former world No 1 and 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki is also not in the main draw currently, and may also be part of the discussions about who to give one of the final Wildcards to.
The tournament may also want to avoid controversy over giving Halep a Wildcard on her return from a doping suspension, though they previously gave Maria Sharapova one when she returned from similar circumstances in 2017.
Grand Slam champions Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka have used protected rankings to enter the main draw, while only two women – the pregnant Petra Kvitova and the injured Karolina Muchova – have officially withdrawn to date.
Five men’s singles Wildcards were also announced on Monday, and much like the women’s draw it was an all-Italian affair.
Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini lead the list, with Matteo Gigante, Andrea Vavassori, and Giulio Zeppieri also set to be in action.
Three Wildcard spots are still available, while Rafael Nadal and Denis Shapovalov have used their protected rankings to enter the main draw.