What is a Wildcard in Tennis?
Last Updated on November 3, 2025
A wildcard in tennis is a special invitation granted to a playerโor a doubles teamโto enter a tournament even if their current ranking isn’t high enough to qualify automatically. Think of it as a special pass handed out by the tournament organizers.
Why Do Tournaments Use Wildcards?
Tournament organizers use wildcards for several key reasons, contributing to the event’s excitement and long-term development of the sport:
- Boost Local Interest: Organizers often award wildcards to promising young players from the host country or region. This creates local buzz, attracts more spectators, and gives the home crowd someone to cheer for. It’s a key way to nurture domestic talent.
- Support Returning Players: A player who has been out of competition for a long time due to a major injury or extended break might see their ranking drop significantly. A wildcard allows them to re-enter a high-level event and start earning points again without having to play lower-level qualifying tournaments.
- Guarantee Star Power: Occasionally, a big-name veteran player who is currently struggling with their ranking might receive a wildcard. Their presence guarantees a higher level of media attention and ticket sales, benefiting the entire event.
- Reward Performance: Wildcards can also be granted to players who perform exceptionally well in specific preceding events, like a national championship or a smaller challenger tournament, even if their general ranking remains low.
How Many Wildcards Are Available?
The number of wildcards available varies depending on the tournament’s size and category. For the prestigious Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, Roland Garros/French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open), the main singles draws typically have a limited number of wildcard spots, often 8 for men and 8 for women.
The decision on who receives a wildcard rests entirely with the tournament committee or the relevant tennis association of the host country. These decisions are generally announced shortly before the qualifying rounds begin.
What’s the Impact on the Draw?
A wildcard player is placed directly into the main draw, bypassing the often grueling qualifying tournament. They are not seeded, which means they can potentially face a top-ranked, seeded player in the very first round. This often leads to exciting, unpredictable matches.
- The Cinderella Story: When an unheralded wildcard player goes on a deep run in a major tournament, it’s often referred to as a “Cinderella story” and captures the imagination of fans. One of the most famous examples is Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ, who won Wimbledon in 2001 as a wildcard, the only man in history to do so.
- The Opportunity: For a low-ranked player, a wildcard entry offers an invaluable opportunity to play against the world’s best, gain high-level experience, and earn significant prize money and ranking points that would otherwise be impossible to obtain.
In essence, the wildcard system is a mechanism that adds flexibility, drama, and opportunity to professional tennis, ensuring that the sport continues to develop new talent while occasionally welcoming back its established stars.
Quick Q&A
| Question | Answer |
| Can a wildcard be a seeded player? | No. Wildcard players are not eligible to be seeded. They enter the draw as unseeded players. |
| Do wildcards have to play qualifiers? | No. The entire purpose of a wildcard is to bypass the qualifying rounds and gain direct entry into the main draw. |
| Who decides who gets a wildcard? | The tournament committee or the host nation’s national tennis association makes the final decision. |
Famous Wildcard Run in Tennis History
The most legendary and emotional wildcard story in tennis history belongs to Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ at the 2001 Wimbledon Championships.
This run remains the gold standard for what a wildcard can achieve and is one of the most famous underdog stories in all of sports.
Goran Ivaniลกeviฤ, a Croatian player known for his powerful serve and volatile on-court demeanor, had a complicated relationship with Wimbledon:
- Three-Time Runner-Up: Prior to 2001, Ivaniลกeviฤ had reached the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final an agonizing three times (in 1992, 1994, and 1998)โand lost every single one.
- A Career on the Brink: By the summer of 2001, his ranking had plummeted to World No. 125 due to a persistent shoulder injury and poor form. He was no longer eligible to enter the tournament based on his ranking.
- The Wildcard Gesture: Given his history as a three-time finalist and a fan-favorite, the All England Club granted him a special wildcard entry, likely as a sentimental gesture for a celebrated player nearing the end of his career.
Ivaniลกeviฤ embarked on a thrilling, unpredictable run, defeating several high-ranked players:
- Defeating Future Stars: He took down notable opponents, including future World No. 1s like Andy Roddick and Marat Safin.
- The Rain-Affected Semifinal: The most dramatic match was his semifinal against British fan favorite Tim Henman. The match was a tense, five-set epic that was suspended over three days due due to rain. The stoppages arguably broke Henman’s momentum, allowing Ivaniลกeviฤ to ultimately prevail, despite losing one set 6-0.
- The Unforgettable Final: Because of the rain delays, the final against Australia’s Patrick Rafter (the runner-up from the previous year) was played on the third Monday, known as “People’s Monday,” with tickets sold to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. This created a football-like atmosphere, unlike any other tennis final.
The final was an incredibly tense five-set battle. Ivaniลกeviฤ finally defeated Rafter 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7.
- First and Only: He became the first and only man in history to win a Grand Slam Men’s Singles title as a wildcard entrant.
- Emotional Victory: The image of the once-jaded veteran finally achieving his lifelong dream on his fourth attempt led to an outpouring of emotion from fans worldwide. His win was celebrated by an estimated 150,000 people in his hometown of Split, Croatia.
Honorable Mention: Kim Clijsters at the US Open 2009
On the Women’s side, Kim Clijsters became the first unranked woman and the second wildcard (after Ivaniลกeviฤ) to win a Grand Slam singles title at the 2009 US Open. She had just come out of a two-year retirement to start a family, making her comeback victory an equally amazing and inspiring wildcard success story.