A 15-year-old British player is just three wins away from reaching Wimbledon, even though they’ve never played as a pro before.
A 15-year-old British tennis star might get the chance to play at Wimbledon this year, even though she’s not a professional yet.
In just two months, one of the biggest tennis events of the year will start at the famous All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon. Around 650 to 700 players take part in all the events, with the main singles draws for men and women each having 128 players.
Players ranked outside the top 104 in the world have to compete in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament, happening from Monday 23 June to Thursday 26 June, to earn a spot. There are 16 places up for grabs in both the men’s and women’s singles, and players play a tough three-round knockout to claim one.
One of the players this year is 15-year-old rising star Daniella Britton. She’s been turning heads by winning the under 16 and under 18 national championships. Because of this, she got a special wildcard to enter Wimbledon qualifiers. That means she’s just three wins away from making her first appearance at the famous grass tournament.
“I can’t believe it—I haven’t even played in a women’s pro event yet,” Daniella told the BBC. “I just want to play my best and see what happens.”
Daniella grew up playing at West Hants Tennis Club and says playing at Wimbledon has always been her dream, especially as a British kid. “You want to aim high and play at the big tournaments,” she added.
Even though the qualifying competition will be tough, Daniella is staying humble and realistic. She hopes to get through at least one round and is taking it step by step.
Her coach, Richard Irwin from West Hants, is very confident in her talent. He says she’s the best player in Britain for her age and believes she could surprise many players at Wimbledon. “There won’t be many 15-year-olds there, and definitely no other British 15-year-olds, so she’ll be facing some of the best in the world,” he said.