Yahoo Sports Wimbledon 2022: When does it start, when is the draw and who are the wildcards?
Wimbledon has announced record prize money for this summer’s tournament as it seeks to avert a player boycott after being stripped of ranking points over its ban on Russians and Belarussians.
Those entering the Championships will compete for a total prize pot of £40.35 million, 11.1 per cent more than at last year’s event – which had a reduced capacity due to coronavirus – and 5.4 per cent higher than the previous edition in 2019.
The two singles champions will take home £2 million each, the runners-up half that, while those beaten in the first round will still collect £50,000.
Those entering the qualifying competition will also benefit from a 26 per cent increase on last year and a 48.1 per cent uplift on 2019.
Naomi Osaka, John Isner and Lucas Pouille have publicly indicated they could skip Wimbledon after it was stripped of ranking points for banning the likes of Daniil Medvedev over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ian Hewitt, the chairman of the All England Club, said: “From the first round of the qualifying competition to the champions being crowned, this year’s prize money distribution aims to reflect just how important the players are to The Championships as we look to continue to deliver one of the world’s leading sporting events.”
The doubles and mixed doubles prize money funds are up 9.6 and 17.4 per cent on 2021 and 2019, respectively, while those for the wheelchair and quad wheelchair events are up 19.8 and 40.1 per cent.
A return to capacity crowds for the first time in three years and scheduled play on the middle Sunday for the first time have helped make such an increase in prize money possible.
Osaka had said last month: “I would love to go just to get some experience on the grass court, but at the same time, for me, it’s kind of… I don’t want to say pointless – no pun intended – but I’m the type of player that gets motivated by seeing my ranking go up, stuff like that.”
Former semi-finalist Isner, who has a plaque at Wimbledon after playing the longest match in tennis history there in 2010, said: “Right now, truthfully, I’m not that stoked about Wimbledon. I might just show up on Saturday and maybe I will play Monday and see what happens. Because, you know, our currency on tour is points.”
Pouille told L’Equipe he did not expect to play, wrongly predicting the prize money would be “reduced”.
He added: “I had decided initially to not play Wimbledon before saying to myself, ‘No, it is still a grand slam, you are going to go’, and I signed up for the grass-court tournaments. But I think that I won’t go.”
What is it?
It is the third grand slam of the year, the Wimbledon championships which run between Monday, June 27 and Sunday, July 10.
When is the draw for the championships?
The official draw will take place on Friday, June 24 at 10am.
How can I follow the draw?
The draw will not be televised but you can follow all the key matches with our live blog. Just bookmark this page and return on the Friday before the Championships begin.
What is the latest news?
Andy Murray withdrew from Queen’s amid speculation that his abdominal injury could seriously hamper his Wimbledon campaign in just under a fortnight’s time.
Murray’s management team said that a scan had confirmed a strain in his stomach muscles. The damage is not thought to be major, but time is short and a strain in this area will make it extremely difficult for him to practise his serve.
This is the first time that Murray has missed Queen’s since 2007, the year when he tore a wrist tendon and was sidelined for three months.
The expectation is that he might try to play an exhibition match or two at the Hurlingham Club next week, just to get back in a competitive frame of mind. But his training will clearly be curtailed – an especially frustrating development given that Ivan Lendl, his coach and mentor, is due to fly into London imminently.
Who are the defending champions?
Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty won the singles tournaments in 2021 – but Barty will not be returning to defend her crown after unexpectedly retiring from tennis earlier this year.
Who has been handed a wildcard to SW19?
Serena Williams has been awarded a wildcard to compete for a record 24th major title at Wimbledon, after nearly a year on the sidelines through injury.
Williams, 40, last played a competitive match on Centre Court at last year's tournament, when she was forced to retire during the first round with a hamstring problem.
There had been fears around whether she was on the brink of retirement from the sport, but has caused a huge stir in announcing her long-awaited return.
She will finally get back to competition at Eastbourne, where she will play in doubles with world No 4 Ons Jabeur, before making her Wimbledon comeback the following week.
Men's singles wildcards
Zizou Bergs (Bel), Liam Broady (GB), Jay Clarke (GB), Alastair Gray (GB), Paul Jubb (GB), Ryan Peniston (GB), Tim van Rijthoven (Hol), Stan Wawrinka (Swi).
Women's singles wildcards
Katie Boulter (GB),Jodie Burrage (GB), Sonay Kartal (GB), Yuriko Miyazaki (GB), Daria Saville (Aus), Katie Swan (GB), Serena Williams (US).
Men's doubles wildcards
Liam Broady (GB) / Jay Clarke (GB), Julian Cash (GB) / Henry Patten (GB), Alastair Gray (GB) / Ryan Peniiston (GB), Jonny O'Mara (GB) / Ken Skupski (GB), plus three more pairings to be announced.
Women's doubles wildcards
Alicia Barnett (GB) / Olivia Nicholls (GB), Jodie Burrage (GB) / Eden Silva (GB), Harriet Dart (GB) / Heather Watson (GB), Sarah Beth Grey (GB) / Yuriko Miyazaki (GB), Sonay Kartal (GB) / Nell Miller (GB), plus two more pairings to be announced.
Mixed doubles wildcards
To be announced on June 29.
Men's wheelchair singles wildcard
Tokito Oda (Jpn).
Women's wheelchair singles wildcard
Momoko Ohtani (Jpn).
Quad wheelchair singles wildcard
Ymanitu Silva (Bra).
Anything new for the tournament?
Wimbledon will become a 14-day tournament from this year, with matches set to be played on middle Sunday, traditionally a day off at the grand slam.
The first Sunday of Wimbledon is normally a rest day, on which tournament organisers work to get the courts back into top shape for the latter rounds, resulting in a so-called "Manic Monday" featuring the entire fourth round of both the men's and women's singles.
"From 2022, to coincide with the centenary of centre court, middle Sunday will become a permanent part of the tournament schedule, turning the Championships into a 14-day event," All England Lawn Tennis Club chairman Ian Hewitt said.
"Thanks to improved grass-court technology and maintenance over the past five years... we are comfortable that we are able to look after the courts, most particularly centre court, without a full day of rest."
Can I still buy tickets?
Of course. You’ve heard of the Wimbledon queue, right? You can turn up at Wimbledon Park and wait patiently for a small number of tickets available for Centre Court, Court One or Court Two. You’ll have to queue from around 6am on the morning, if not before in order to get lucky, though.
If you can’t get on the showcourts, you can also purchase a day pass which allows you access to all the ground courts from Nos 3 to 18. Prices start from £25. The All England Club will only accept cash on the day.
What TV channel are the Championships on?
You can watch coverage on BBC One and Two throughout the fortnight – and on the red button. You can also follow the Telegraph Sport's daily coverage.
What are the latest odds?
Men’s champion latest odds:
Novak Djokovic 11/10
Rafael Nadal 5/1
Matteo Berrettini 6/1
Stefanos Tsitsipas 17/2
Women’s champion latest odds:
Iga Swiatek 3/1
Naomi Osaka 6/1
Simona Halep 9/1
Emma Raducanu 10/1
