Which Top 10ers had to Play Qualifying at majors??

With people like Sharapova and the Williams, they were beneficiaries of WCs from the beginning, but how long did other top 10 players struggle in the major qualifying before breaking through?

Maria had to qualify for the Australian Open and French open in 2003

Clijsters Q for Wimbledon in 1999

didn't Maria qualify for Wimbledon in 2003? or is it that she wanted to but they were gonna giver her a wildcard. i was confused on what ever ended up happening.

didn't Maria qualify for Wimbledon in 2003? or is it that she wanted to but they were gonna giver her a wildcard. i was confused on what ever ended up happening.

she's a WC in Wim 03

how about LenaD? :shrug: i know nothing!

This is a great topic!

i'm sure molik did quite a few times, perhaps even in the not too distant past.

kuznetsova won tournaments pretty early in her career so she may have avoided it.

maybe myskina because she was ranked pretty low for a while due to injury.

most without a high profile or very early career breakthroughs i guess

i'd like to know people who were ranked in the top 10 and ended up having to play qualifying again in majors. i don't majoli did but i'm not sure.

I've seen Myskina and Kuznetsova play qualies at the US Open before.

I know Kournikova (former top 10er) came through US Open qualifying in 1996.

Justine Henin-Hardenne has played Grand slam qualies as well. Same with Molik, Mauresmo, Zvonereva, Petrova, Schnyder, Dementieva, etc.

Pretty much every top 10 player goes through Grand slam qualies at some stage. People like Venus and Serena and Capriati and Seles who are handed practically unlimited wild cards from the time they are 14 is an extreme rarity.

Majoli would have had to her last year on tour but opted not to. She got a wild card for the US Open one year as well as the French Open a couple of times.

Dokic may have to this year:sad:

I know there have been a few cases. Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel and Andrea Temesvari were two players that went down that road, but they were also semi-retired by that point and playing an extremely limited schedule.

There have been lots of former top 10 players though who SHOULD have had to play Grand Slam qualies, but were spared by wildcards. Capriati and Majoli are two examples. Mary Pierce and Natasha Zvereva are two others. Lori Mcneil recieved a wildcard into Wimbledon towards the end of her career as well. Ditto w/Gigi Fernandez, although I don't know if she cracked the top 10.

Vera Zvonareva's 1st Slam was the '02 French Open, and that's the only time that she had to qualify.

She made it to the 4th round and took the 1st set off Serena.

Dokic - 99 Wim, the only time.

- Clijsters was ranked 195 in 1999 and just eligible for playing qualifiers at Wimbledon. She basically had to wait at Roehampton until the last day before getting confirmation. The rest is history. She lost something like 15 games and won six matches among which against Amanda Coetzer who was dedicated to playing well in Wimbledon that year. She fell to Graf in a match that was several times interrupted by rain (6-2 6-2) but she had some chances in that match.

- Justine Henin was ranked 87 two months earlier at Roland Garros as she had just won the very first WTA tournament she played in Antwerp prior to RG including a final win against gravel specialist and then number 30 of the world Pitkowski. A real scandal, the French tourney officials did not give her a wildcard and she had to qualify as the final entry list was made up based on the rankings before Antwerp. She fell in round 2 against Lindsay Davenport in a very close match (Davenport would declare Justine Henin was a top 20 player alread after the match). Fatigue certainly played a role in that match together with lack of experience.
With hindsight, it would be interesting to retrieve the names of the players the organization DID give a wildcard.

So you see the Belgians were certainly not favored by the WTA like some other nationalities consistently are. Note that after these they never required playing quallies anymore simply because their ranking did not require it anymore...

Amelie MAURESMO
Australian Open 1997
Quali 1st round: d. Renee Reid AUS 63 75
Quali 2nd round: l. Noelle van Lottum FRA 16 16

Wimbledon 1997
Quali 1st round: d. Abigail Tordoff GBR 62 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Svetlana Krivencheva BUL 64 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Anne Kremer LUX 46 76 46


Anastasia MYSKINA
US Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Cindy Watson AUS 62 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Adriana Barna GER 62 64
Quali 3rd round: d. Alexandra Fusai FRA 76 62

Elena DEMENTIEVA
Australian Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Laurence Andretto FRA 64 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Melissa Dowse AUS 62 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Jolene Watanabe USA 63 63

French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Patty van Acker BEL 63 64
Quali 2nd round: d. Erika de Lone USA 76 75
Quali 3rd round: d. Pavlina Nola NZL 26 36

Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Vanessa Menga BRA 60 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Karin Miller USA 61 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Seda Noorlander NED 57 75 46


Kim CLIJSTERS
Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Adriana Gersi CZE 62 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Victoria Davies GBR 61 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Francesca Lubiani ITA 60 64

Justine HENIN HARDENNE
French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Mashona Washington USA 63 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Stephanie Testard FRA 61 60
Quali 3rd round: d. Elena Makarova RUS 60 75


Lindsey DAVENPORT
French Open 1992:
Quali 1st round: d. Laura Golarsa ITA 75 64
Quali 2nd round: l. Karin Kschwendt AUT 36 06

Wimbledon 1992:
Quali 2st round: l. Jennifer Santrock USA 67 26

Australian Open 1993:
Quali 1st round: d. Anna Smashnova ISR 62 76
Quali 2nd round: d. Audra Keller USA 61 60
Quali 3rd round: d. Claudine Toleafoa NZL 61 64


Maria SHARAPOVA
Australian Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Renata Voracova CZE 63 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Maria Goloviznina RUS 63 62
Quali 3rd round: d. Alena Vaskova CZE 61 62

French Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Anastasia Rodionova RUS 63 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN 63 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Yuliya Beygelzimer UKR 67 75 86


Alicia MOLIK
Australian Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: d. Marketa Kochta GER 63 60
Quali 2nd round: l. Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen USA 36 06

US Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Petra Rampre SLO 62 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Daphne van de Zande BEL 75 75
Quali 3rd round: l. Angelika Bachmann GER 64 46 46

Elena DEMENTIEVA
Australian Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Laurence Andretto FRA 64 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Melissa Dowse AUS 62 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Jolene Watanabe USA 63 63

French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Patty van Acker BEL 63 64
Quali 2nd round: d. Erika de Lone USA 76 75
Quali 3rd round: d. Pavlina Nola NZL 26 36

Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Vanessa Menga BRA 60 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Karin Miller USA 61 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Seda Noorlander NED 57 75 46


Kim CLIJSTERS
Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Adriana Gersi CZE 62 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Victoria Davies GBR 61 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Francesca Lubiani ITA 60 64

Justine HENIN HARDENNE
French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Mashona Washington USA 63 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Stephanie Testard FRA 61 60
Quali 3rd round: d. Elena Makarova RUS 60 75


Lindsey DAVENPORT
French Open 1992:
Quali 1st round: d. Laura Golarsa ITA 75 64
Quali 2nd round: l. Karin Kschwendt AUT 36 06

Wimbledon 1992:
Quali 2st round: l. Jennifer Santrock USA 67 26

Australian Open 1993:
Quali 1st round: d. Anna Smashnova ISR 62 76
Quali 2nd round: d. Audra Keller USA 61 60
Quali 3rd round: d. Claudine Toleafoa NZL 61 64


Maria SHARAPOVA
Australian Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Renata Voracova CZE 63 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Maria Goloviznina RUS 63 62
Quali 3rd round: d. Alena Vaskova CZE 61 62

French Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Anastasia Rodionova RUS 63 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN 63 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Yuliya Beygelzimer UKR 67 75 86


Alicia MOLIK
Australian Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: d. Marketa Kochta GER 63 60
Quali 2nd round: l. Ginger Helgeson-Nielsen USA 36 06

US Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Petra Rampre SLO 62 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Daphne van de Zande BEL 75 75
Quali 3rd round: l. Angelika Bachmann GER 64 46 46


Thanks :) :D

:eek: Interesting in '99 Dementieva had to Qualify into AO FO & WIM! :eek:

:o No surprise with Molik. She's just making QF of GS events now ... :drool:

Nadia PETROVA

US Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: d. Misumi Miyauchi JAP 63 60
Quali 2nd round: d. Haruka Inoue JAP 63 61
Quali 3rd round: l. Fabiola Zuluaga COL 67 63 46

Australian Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Christina Wheeler AUS 46 64 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Irina Selyutina KAZ 63 62
Quali 3rd round: d. Rennae Stubbs AUS 62 63

French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: l. Ines Gorrochategui ARG 26 36

Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Nirupama Vaidyanathan IND 64 64
Quali 2nd round: d. Jelena Kostanic CRO 63 60
Quali 3rd round: d. Katalin Marosi HUN 75 63

US Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Magda Mihalache ROM 64 26 63
Quali 2nd round: l. Evelyn Fauth AUT 36 06

Ai SUGIYAMA
US Open 1992:
Quali 1st round: l. Shaun Stafford USA 26 26

Australian Open 1993:
Quali 1st round: d. Maija Avotins AUS 76 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Marzia Grossi ITA 36 76 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Jessica Emmons AUS 46 26

French Open 1993:
Quali 1st round: l. Denisa Krajcovicova SVK 60 57 26

Wimbledon 1993:
Quali 1st round: d. Sylvie Sabas FRA 64 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Emily Bond GBR 67 64 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Erika de Lone USA 75 61

Australian Open 1994:
Quali 1st round: l. Naoko Kijimuta JAP 57 26

Wimbledon 1994:
Quali 1st round: d. Lea Ghirardi FRA 63 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Robin White USA 63 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Katrina Adams USA 63 46 75

Conchita Martinez

French Open 1988:
Quali 1st round: d. Jo-Anne Faull 6-2 6-3
Quali 2nd round: d. Sophie Amiach 6-3 6-4
Quali 3rd round: d. Nicole Muns-Jagerman 6-2 6-3

Svetlana KUZNETSOVA

Australian Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Gabriela Volekova SVK 62 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Dally Randriantefy MAD 62 62
Quali 3rd round: d. Katalin Marosi HUN 61 16 63

French Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Lucie Ahl GBR 61 63
Quali 2nd round: l. Lourdes Dominguez Lino ESP 46 64 36

Wimbledon 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Helen Crook GBR 26 64 61
Quali 2nd round: l. Elena Tatarkova UKR 75 46 26

US Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Seda Noorlander NED 64 76
Quali 2nd round: d. Valentina Sassi ITA 63 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Dally Randriantefy MAD 63 36 76


Patty SCHNYDER
Australian Open 1996:
Quali 1st round: l. Renee Reid AUS 36 36

Vera ZVONAREVA
French Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Valentina Sassi ITA 36 64 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Kristie Boogert NED 76 62
Quali 3rd round: d. Angelika Bachmann GER 63 63

Nathalie DECHY
Australian Open 1996:
Quali 1st round: d. Seda Noorlander NED 64 64
Quali 2nd round: d. Evgenia Maniokova RUS 26 62 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Laxmy Poruri USA 26 46

US Open 1997:
Quali 1st round: d. Sam Reeves USA 62 64
Quali 2nd round: d. Dally Randriantefy MAD 64 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Mashona Washington USA 63 75

Daniela HANTUCHOVA

Australian Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Zsofia Gubacsi HU 64 61
Quali 2nd round : l. Florencia Labat ARG 57 36

Wimbledon 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Elena Bovina RUS 61 62
Quali 2nd round. l. Rachel McQuillan AUS 62 26 46

US Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Maureen Drake CAN 63 61
Quali 2nd round: l. Miriam Schnitzer GER 36 36

Paola SUAREZ
French Open 1994:
Quali 1st round: d. Rita Grande ITA 63 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Barbara Paulus AUT 63 75
Quali 3rd round: d. Angeles Montolio ESP 36 63 64

French Open 1995:
Quali 1st round: d. Maria Sanchez-Lorenzo ESP 61 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Andrea Vieira BRA 76 26 64
Quali 3rd round: d. Veronika Martinek GER 26 76 63


Elena BOVINA
French Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Lindsay Lee Waters USA 61 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Brie Rippner USA 63 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Martina Sucha SVK 62 62

Wimbledon 2000:
Quali 1st round: l. Daniela Hantuchova SVK 16 26

US Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Kristina Kraszewski USA 61 64
Quali 2nd round: l. Louise Latimer GBR 46 36

Australian Open 2001:
Quali 1st round: d. Adriana Barna GER 62 60
Quali 2nd round: d. Kerry-Anne Guse AUS 60 36 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Bianka Lamade GER 67 76 60

I don't think Venus and Serena were ever given WCs into Slams, they didn't play them until their rankings were high enough to get into the main draw on merit.

Karolina Sprem has never played Slam qualies - she should have made her debut in the RG 2003 qualies but because she'd reached the final in Strasbourg the week before she had to withdraw, and then obviously she had direct entry to Wimbledon.

Amélie also had to qualify for RG 1995. She got a WC into the qualies while reanked about 750.

I don't think Venus and Serena were ever given WCs into Slams, they didn't play them until their rankings were high enough to get into

exactly. never heard of them getting a wildcard before.

exactly. never heard of them getting a wildcard before.

They got WCs into everything else though! Neither of them ever had to play a Challenger - that really shows how much they were favoured early in their careers.

yeah huh...of course in the regular tournies, but major wise, nope...

then again Venus was hyped from the age of 10...so was it any surprise tourney directors wanted her in their tournament :confused:

I think even if Venus hadn't gotten direct entry to the US Open in '97, she'd have got a WC. I suspect that part of the reason they didn't get WCs sooner is because they decided they didn't want to play the Slams before they were ready, which was a pretty good decision.

I'll never understand the claim that the Williamses have always had to battle against the media, they had an incredible amount of pre-results hype. In many ways their rise has been incredibly privileged - they never had to start at the bottom of the food chain playing 10ks etc.

but you know the way the media works Alex (i hope you dont do it ;)) but they like to build someone up then tear them back down again. as for the sisters, yea well the media were nice to them in the beginning, but there were a lot of negative articles on Richards plan of keeping them out of competitive tennis at a young age, and how arrogant he was thinking that they were gonna be #1 and #2 fighting out in GS finals.

as they made their way up, it was "wow these two sisters raised in the ghetto" vs "they play mindless tennis and are ruining the game." as they reached the top it was "Richard's prediction has come true" vs "its not good for tennis, people dominating" (which i NEVER got because all through womens tennis there's been someone dominating).

as injury forced them off the tour it was "well the tour has moved on now". and when Serena won the Australian it was "her first slam in 18 months", failing to mention the fact that it'd only been her third try since her last one :rolleyes: the sisters have always divided the media, and i think now Sharapova is on the scene they're writing them off even more.

I'm not convinced that there is a media hivemind at all, I've seen incredibly positive things written about them as well as pretty negative things - sometimes in the same publication! I think it's a good balance at the moment. From here on I think it'll get a lot more positive (for Serena especially) as she becomes a veteran champion. Plus the fact that after Davenport and Capriati retire (surely this will be very soon), there'll be no one else left to hold back the Eastern European flood for the jingoistic American commentators ;)

I don't do the hype-and-burn thing, though I'll gladly assist in tearing down anything I don't think should be given coverage ;)

Conchita Martinez

French Open 1988:
Quali 1st round: d. Jo-Anne Faull 6-2 6-3
Quali 2nd round: d. Sophie Amiach 6-3 6-4
Quali 3rd round: d. Nicole Muns-Jagerman 6-2 6-3

Isn't it the LAST time she played quelies ?? ;)

can somebody put the names of those who DID get a wildcard in these tournaments ? Might be exciting especially in Wimbledon :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Isn't it the LAST time she played quelies ?? ;)

first and last :p

Karina Habšudová, who was #10 in February 1997, had to qualify for the Australian Open 2002. She lost in the first qualifying round, ruptured her left Achilles tendon, and never played another singles match again. :bigcry:

Iva Majoli, who won the French Open 1997 and reached a career-high ranking of #4 in 1996 and 1997, was snubbed a wild card for the French Open 2004, and couldn't play qualifying because she had a bad cold. She never played another match after that. :sobbing:

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
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Did I miss something or didn't Venus make her breakthrough at USopen 97 by coming through qualies and making it all the way to the finals?




I've seen Myskina and Kuznetsova play qualies at the US Open before.

I know Kournikova (former top 10er) came through US Open qualifying in 1996.

Justine Henin-Hardenne has played Grand slam qualies as well. Same with Molik, Mauresmo, Zvonereva, Petrova, Schnyder, Dementieva, etc.

Pretty much every top 10 player goes through Grand slam qualies at some stage. People like Venus and Serena and Capriati and Seles who are handed practically unlimited wild cards from the time they are 14 is an extreme rarity.

Venus and Serena have never played qualifying at the slams.

Venus has only played qualifying at an actual tournament 2 or 3 times while Serena has done it a few more times.

Monica never played qualifying, nor she did ever receive a wild card at a slam. Her ranking was #88 after three tournaments when she was 14. By the time of her first slam, RG 89, she was even more highly ranked.

Elena LIKHOVTSEVA

US Open 1993:
Quali 1st round: d. Monique Javer GBR 63 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Elena Makarova RUS 64 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Janette Husarova SVK 63 63

Francesca SCHIAVONE
US Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: l. Renata Kolbovic CAN 26 16

French Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Irina Selyutina KAZ 63 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Lenka Nemeckova CZE 63 64
Quali 3rd round: l. Magdalena Grzybowska POL 61 57 79

Wimbledon 2000:
Quali 1st round: l. Greta Arn GER 67 16

US Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Candice Fuchs USA 60 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Maja Matevzic SLO 76 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Andrea Glass GER 62 75


Karolina SPREM
never

Jelena JANKOVIC

US Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: l. Kristina Brandi PUR 63 36 67

Australian Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Maria Geznenge BUL 60 16 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Sandra Kleinova CZE 63 61
Quali 3rd round: d. Tzipi Obziler ISR 64 64

French Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Elena Tatarkova UKR 75 62
Quali 2nd round: l. Edina Gallovits ROM 64 06 46

Wimbledon 2003:
Quali 1st round: l. Andreea Vanc ROM 16 63 46

US Open 2003:
Quali 1st round: d. Edina Gallovits ROM 62 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Evelyn Fauth AUT 60 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Alina Jidkova RUS 64 36 26


Silvia FARINA ELIA

US Open 1989:
Quali 1st round: l. Florencia Labat ARG 16 26

French Open 1991:
Quali 1st round: d. Hella Ter Riet NED 63 67 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Angelique Olivier FRA 64 46 86
Quali 3rd round: l. Alena Laskova CZE 16 64 26

US Open 1992:
Quali 1st round: l. Nicole Hummel USA 75 57 67


Tatiana GOLOVIN

French Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Eun-Ha Kim KOR 62 60
Quali 2nd round: l. Rita Kuti-Kis HUN 46 26

Shinobu ASAGOE

Australian Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: l. Cindy Watson AUS 62 46 46

French Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: l. Marlene Weingartner GER 63 46 57

Wimbledon 1998:
Quali 1st round: l. Aleksandra Olsza POL 63 26 16

US Open 1998:
Quali 1st round: d. Gabrielle Kucerova GER 62 36 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Sophie Georges FRA 36 63 61
Quali 3rd round: l. Pavlina Nola NZL 63 06 36

French Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: l. Louise Latimer GBR 46 63 46

Wimbledon 1999:
Quali 1st round: d. Tina Pisnik SLO 64 57 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Miroslava Vavrinec SUI 64 61
Quali 3rd round: l. Erika de Lone USA 46 46

US Open 1999:
Quali 1st round: l. Miriam Schnitzer GER 06 16

Australian Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Marta Marrero ESP 62 75
Quali 2nd round: d. Wynne Prakusya INA 63 64
Quali 3rd round: l. Sonya Jeyaseelan CAN 62 26 36

French Open 2000:
Quali 1st round: l. Laura Pena ESP 57 46

Wimbledon 2000:
Quali 1st round: d. Sybille Bammer AUT 60 63
Quali 2nd round: d. Stephanie Foretz FRA 62 26 64
Quali 3rd round: d. Bianka Lamade GER 62 62

French Open 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Claudine Schaul LUX 16 75 62
Quali 2nd round: d. Liezel Huber RSA 76 63
Quali 3rd round: d. Sandra Kleinova CZE 36 64 61

Wimbledon 2002:
Quali 1st round: d. Maria-Elena Camerin ITA 26 62 86
Quali 2nd round: d. Adriana Barna GER 61 63
Quali 3rd round: l. Alexandra Fusai FRA 26 46


Mary PIERCE
US Open 1990:
Quali 1st round: d. Shannan McCarty USA 63 61
Quali 2nd round: d. Pascale Paradis FRA 76 62
Quali 3rd round: l. Andrea Farley USA 16 63 46

Majoli would have had to her last year on tour but opted not to. She got a wild card for the US Open one year as well as the French Open a couple of times.

Dokic may have to this year:sad:

I know there have been a few cases. Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel and Andrea Temesvari were two players that went down that road, but they were also semi-retired by that point and playing an extremely limited schedule.

There have been lots of former top 10 players though who SHOULD have had to play Grand Slam qualies, but were spared by wildcards. Capriati and Majoli are two examples. Mary Pierce and Natasha Zvereva are two others. Lori Mcneil recieved a wildcard into Wimbledon towards the end of her career as well. Ditto w/Gigi Fernandez, although I don't know if she cracked the top 10.

Good to see my favourite Kathy Rinaldi mentioned, but she definitely never had to qualify for Slams in her career! Admittedly her last couple of US Open appearances and last Wimbledon were due to wildcards, but this was down to her former Top Ten status and semi-retired (from singles) status. Maybe you're getting kathy confused with Carling Bassett? She tried to qualify for Wimbledon once, after retiring to give birth, but she didn't make it.