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Defending champion Tatjana Maria was surprised not to receive a wildcard for this year’s HSBC Championship but was overwhelmed by the positive response from Queen’s Club members.
Women’s tennis returned to Queen’s for the first time since 1973 and saw mother-of-two Maria make a sensational run to victory. WTA 500 events plus a complimentary lifetime membership.
However, the German missed out on a wildcard after awarding four British players and instead had to win two matches on Sunday to qualify, much to the delight of his daughters Charlotte and Cecilia.
“I think with all due respect to what I did last year, I was sure to get the wildcard or I was hoping to get the wildcard,” Maria said.
“It wasn’t, five years ago, last year and especially in this tournament and to come back like a champion, I expected and I thought I would get a wildcard.
“I was surprised when I got the message from (tournament director) Laura Robson that all the wildcards would go to British players, which I certainly understand but you know as a champion, it’s hard for me (to take).
“Of course I’m in the tournament, I won two matches yesterday but it’s just the fact that I’m a champion and with respect, for me I thought I deserved a wildcard.
“Yesterday I also wanted to win for my girls to stay as long as possible because they really like being here and they like the tournament.
“The reaction from everyone around was really huge when they found out I didn’t get a wildcard, even a lot of members here. They came up to me and said, ‘We really don’t understand why you didn’t get a wildcard’, so that was pretty cool.”
Katie Boulter was one of the Britons who received a wild card for the tournament
British quartet Katie Boulter, Fran Jones, Harriet Dart and teenager Mika Stojsavljevic received wildcards from Robson and the Lawn Tennis Association.
“The LTA owns and invests in these events to benefit British sport as a whole – so that fans can see world-class international players from around the world and support our British players,” an LTA spokesman said.
“We have seen British success and breakthrough wins at these events, so there is clear value in giving British players this development opportunity.”
Maria believes that a rematch is necessary if a similar situation arises, and men’s champion Feliciano Lopez earned a wildcard in 2019.
“It should be normal. If you’re champion in an event and you don’t get the next year, I think it (wildcard) should be considered automatically. It’s something out of respect,” Maria said.
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