Osaka, Kerber and Wozniacki handed Wimbledon wild cards

Three former world number ones, Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, and Caroline Wozniacki, have been given wild cards into the main draw of next month's Wimbledon championship, the tournament organisers announced on Wednesday.

Kerber, who dropped to 224th in the world rankings after an 18-month maternity leave, won the tournament in 2018 and finished second in 2016.

Osaka and Wozniacki, who both took lengthy breaks from the tour while pregnant, have five Grand Slam titles between them.

Japan's Osaka, who reached the quarter-finals of the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships last week, has twice advanced to the third round of Wimbledon, while Wozniacki has reached the last 16 six times.

Emma Raducanu, a local hope and former US Open champion who was sidelined for eight months last year after undergoing wrist and ankle surgery, was also awarded a wildcard for the grasscourt Grand Slam.

Raducanu is currently ranked 165th in the world.

Fran Jones, Lily Miyazaki, and Heather Watson are the other players who have been awarded entry into the women's singles tournament.

On the men's side, all of the wild cards went to British players, with Liam Broady being the most notable.

One wild card has yet to be awarded in both the men's and women's draws.

SportsLigue