Here’s how much British players made from first-round losses at Wimbledon after what’s been called the ‘worst day this century.’
Ten British players have already been knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round, but they still earned a good amount of money between them. It was a tough start for the British team, with Cameron Norrie losing soon after Jack Draper had to pull out because of an arm injury. Wildcards Felix Gill, Jack Pinnington Jones, and Oliver Tarvet also lost their first matches.
On the women’s side, Emma Raducanu had to withdraw due to a leg injury, followed by Fran Jones’s elimination. Wildcards Harriet Dart, Mimi Xu, Alicia Dudeney, Hannah Klugman, and Mika Stojsavljevic were also knocked out. The remaining British players will play on Tuesday.
Katie Boulter, the highest-ranked British player left, lost in straight sets to 18-year-old qualifier Tyra Caterina Grant. The Italian player has had a strong season, winning two ITF tournaments and reaching a WTA 125 final. For the men, Jan Choinski, ranked 100th, is the only British player still in the top 100.
These results continue a disappointing trend for British tennis lately, with no player advancing past the second round at the recent French Open. Many players faced tough draws because of wildcards and qualifiers, but there was still hope for better results on Wimbledon’s grass courts. Raducanu made it to the Eastbourne final earlier this month, and Norrie reached the Wimbledon semi-final in 2022. Draper, once ranked world number four, was a hopeful but has had many injuries in the past year.
A record 10 British players were out after the first day, making it the worst single day for British exits at Wimbledon since 2000. Each of those players will receive £80,000 for making the first round, including the wildcards. Draper and Raducanu will get half that amount, £40,000 each, because they withdrew. In total, British players have been paid £880,000 so far.
Five more British men and two more women, including wildcard Katie Swan, will play on Tuesday. Norrie and Fran Jones spoke to the media after their losses. Norrie said, “Losing stinks, especially at Wimbledon, my favorite tournament. It’s tough watching everyone else still playing when you’re out.” Jones added, “People might make bad headlines, but some draws were always going to be tough. Wimbledon means a lot to everyone, and that pressure is real at our home slam.”