British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Var · Challenger qualifying

RE: Race for the Wimbledon wildcards 2026

JonH · Tennis legend

Nothing will change now re Dan or Billy, so got to make the most of their qualies draw when it comes and get on with it.

At least Dan is in the doubles and maybe he would be looked on favourably for mixed (!!) if he wanted to give it a go (Dan and mixed somehow don't seem like they would gel, but you never know!!).

I have vented enough personally now on this, feels like onwards is the best policy and to support the guys and girls whether be in main draw, qualies or play offs - or maybe all 3 with a good run of results!!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Lambda wrote:
I would direct criticism to the AELTC rather than the LTA. The LTA's job is to help the committee by nominating British players based on performance or development. Players like Dan (and Heather when her time comes) should have enough public profile and history with Wimbledon that when they ask the committee directly for a WC citing its their last Wimbledon that they should get one. They shouldn't need the LTA to nominate them.

Yes, true, but the LTA know that they bear the full year-long brunt of decisions

And you write:

"The LTA's job is to help the committee by nominating British players based on performance or development."

Performance obviously included past performance

Indeed, even from their guidelines, they have a lot of flexibility (and rightly, IMO)

So, it was well within the LTA's remit to recommend a wildcard for Dan (indeed, to quasi insist on one)

Add: which doesn't meant the AELTC aren't responsible - they are - but the LTA bear their share too

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 18th of June 2026 07:37:52 AM

Shhh · Challenger level

I haven't much to add to the debate here as I too feel very sorry for Dan and Billy. Dan would add genuine interest for spectators and pull a crowd....exactly what a WC is supposed to be for. And poor Billy is about 140 in the world yet deemed to old whilst this is no barrier to the oft wid carded Harriet Darts of this world (her family very much "in" with right people)

In the past there were attempts to make a clearer criteria so that this kind of upset was minimised. (I think you had to be in the top 250 or similar?) but that seems to have gone by the wayside. Alienating Dan (and Billy) comes at the expense of the wider appeal of tennis which may be a huge mistake when trying to break down the middle class image.

Congratulations for those that have received wild cards, I just feel this could have been handld clearer and better.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Shhh wrote:
I haven't much to add to the debate here as I too feel very sorry for Dan and Billy. Dan would add genuine interest for spectators and pull a crowd....exactly what a WC is supposed to be for. And poor Billy is about 140 in the world yet deemed to old whilst this is no barrier to the oft wid carded Harriet Darts of this world (her family very much "in" with right people)

In the past there were attempts to make a clearer criteria so that this kind of upset was minimised. (I think you had to be in the top 250 or similar?) but that seems to have gone by the wayside. Alienating Dan (and Billy) comes at the expense of the wider appeal of tennis which may be a huge mistake when trying to break down the middle class image.

Congratulations for those that have received wild cards, I just feel this could have been handld clearer and better.

Yes

If, in France, Billy, with his ranking and profile, hadn't got one but Harry and Felix had, there would be utter uproar

Not saying that I resent Harry and Felix getting one - quite the opposite

But neither are 'young' - both are 24

Both are outside the top-200

And neither went to US college so they haven't had those three years (or whatever) out/pretty much out of competition

Again, I'm very fond of both Harry and Felix

(Felix was with Arthur - the two 2002-born lads who were rather overlooked by the LTA as younger teenagers - Toby Samuel and Ben Heynold being the LTA faves - so I always had a soft spot for both. And Harry won my heart after Surbiton exertions )

But Billy has been shafted here

Var · Challenger qualifying

Nothing from Evo yet. Suspect we shall get some kind of statement today or tomorrow as to what he intends to do. LTA seem to have removed the post on wildcards.

SuperT · Futures level

I obviously feel incredibly sorry for Dan and Billy as they definitely deserve wild cards. However I would say that it's been an incredibly difficult year for the committee as I don't think we've ever had so many players who are clearly deserving of wild cards. All those selected are in the top 250 and most have been on good winning runs of late. You can't really compare with the ladies as I don't think you can point to any deserving cases who missed out because Harriet was selected. Heather could have been on the list as there was space for her anyway if they'd wanted, but they chose the playoff route instead. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with the AELT, just that it can't have been easy for them.

Var · Challenger qualifying

SuperT wrote:
I obviously feel incredibly sorry for Dan and Billy as they definitely deserve wild cards. However I would say that it's been an incredibly difficult year for the committee as I don't think we've ever had so many players who are clearly deserving of wild cards. All those selected are in the top 250 and most have been on good winning runs of late. You can't really compare with the ladies as I don't think you can point to any deserving cases who missed out because Harriet was selected. Heather could have been on the list as there was space for her anyway if they'd wanted, but they chose the playoff route instead. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with the AELT, just that it can't have been easy for them.

Their choice though.

Blue_Belle · Pro player

Will Harriet be "too" old next year? She is nearly 30!

JonH · Tennis legend

Records on grass this year to date: I said I wouldnt comment again, but am doing!

Billy 4 wins and 2 losses (67%) and still in Nottingham. Beaten Damm, Chidekh, Wong and Gea. Won at each of Birmingham, Ilkley and Nottingham . Has a 36-23 (60% ish) career record on grass. Plays Virtanen today who beat Felix easily earlier this week

Felix - 2 wins and 3 losses (40%) record on grass this season, wins over Blanchet and Gaston. Lost to Virtanen this week, who Billy plays today. If tennis abstract is correct, his lifetime record on grass is 2 wins and 5 losses (29%)

Harry - has a 3 wins and 3 losses record (50% this season). Beat Vukic and Walton at Queens and that did stand out, with a solid loss to van de Zandschulp as well. His career record on grass appears to be 4 wins and 6 losses (40%)

Clearly Harry did great this week and that probably swung one of the cards towards him. But Billy stacks up as stronger on grass, higher ranking overall and has been to the verge of the top 100.

It will be interesting to see if Billy can do better than Felix against Virtanen.

PS Evo not worth assessing on these metrics but to say, he has beaten both Tiafoe and Tommy Paul on grass in the recent past

-- Edited by JonH on Thursday 18th of June 2026 08:53:03 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

SuperT wrote:
I obviously feel incredibly sorry for Dan and Billy as they definitely deserve wild cards. However I would say that it's been an incredibly difficult year for the committee as I don't think we've ever had so many players who are clearly deserving of wild cards. All those selected are in the top 250 and most have been on good winning runs of late. You can't really compare with the ladies as I don't think you can point to any deserving cases who missed out because Harriet was selected. Heather could have been on the list as there was space for her anyway if they'd wanted, but they chose the playoff route instead. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with the AELT, just that it can't have been easy for them.

It actually landed fairly easy for the committee if there were going to be 6 Brits.

Although yes, there is great strength in depth and players on the up, there were clearly 5 ( including Billy ) standing out as generally close and well clear of the rest by ranking - gawd many were callng them 'the 5 locks' for weeks, and then Dan made a deserving and convenient 6th. It waa obvious to most people except evidently not these that made the decisions.