The organizers of the Wimbledon tournament have not yet announced the names of the players who will receive invitations to the main singles draws of the 2024 edition.
The most prestigious competition in the history of tennis has publicly displayed the criteria on the basis of which it usually awards the much-coveted wildcards, and these lead to an increase in the probability that Simona Halep will receive an invitation this year.
Wimbledon champion and double semi-finalist, Simona Halep could have priority in the eyes of the organizers
The athlete from our country is helped by the fact that she performed at a high level at Wimbledon, a competition she won in 2019, following a final with Serena Williams.
Moreover, in 2014 and 2022, Halep reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon tournament, a competitive phase in which she was defeated by Eugenie Bouchard and Elena Rybakina, respectively.
The official website of the Wimbledon tournament lists the following details taken into account by the organizers before deciding on the names of the lucky participants:
“wildcards are awarded to players who are not ranked high enough to automatically qualify for the tournament, but who is accepted remains at the committee’s discretion.”
“invitations are usually given on the basis of previous performances at Wimbledon or to increase the level of British interest in the competition.”
Emma Răducanu confuses Simona Halep’s chances of participating in Wimbledon
Grand Slam champion, Emma Răducanu requires a wildcard to play at Wimbledon, being ranked only 209th in the WTA hierarchy.
According to the criteria listed above, Răducanu will be prioritized over Simona Halep.
Artemon Apostu-Efremov, about wildcards awarded at grand slam tournaments
Tested positive for Roxadustat after losing in the first round of the 2022 American Open, Simona Halep was absent from the world of tennis for a year and a half, but her return to the circuit did not give her much reason to be happy either.
Beyond a semi-successful match against Paula Badosa in Miami, Halep ran into the organizers’ refusal to grant her a wildcard. This happened in Stuttgart, Rome and more recently in Paris, where the former 2018 champion was denied access to a main draw invitation.
Exclusively for Sport.ro, Simona Halep’s former coach – Artemon Apostu-Efremov – predicted with clear arguments that this scenario would be very likely, since there are mutual agreements between the Australian Open, Roland Garros and the US Open wildcards into the main draws of the major tournaments they host.
About the invitations offered in the Grand Slam tournaments, Simona Halep’s former coach, Artemon Apostu-Efremov spoke clearly in the Poveștile Sport.ro show, where he explained how they are divided.
In the context in which the Danish Caroline Wozniacki claimed in Miami that players accused of cheating or doping should no longer receive invitations to tournaments, Artemon Apostu-Efremov stated the following, exclusively for Sport.ro:
“Everyone has the right to their opinion. Invitations are given by the organizers. If she thinks so, that’s her right. It doesn’t mean that this will influence the organizers’ decision one bit.
There are tournaments that will want to give Simona a wildcard, and others won’t or won’t be able to. For example, at the Grand Slam, they are decided much earlier, they have some obligations, some exchanges to do with Australia, with the USA – as is the case with the Roland Garros tournament.
Only Wimbledon has an autonomous policy; the others cooperate. Everyone has the right to their opinion. We don’t have to judge it, we can accept it,” said Artemon Apostu-Efremov, in the dialogue with journalist Andru Nenciu.
Artemon Apostu-Efremov currently collaborates with Anca Todoni and coached Simona Halep in 2020, when the Romanian won the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome.