5 fun facts ahead of 2026 Dutch Grand Prix

Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been banned from professional tennis for four years after refusing to submit to an anti-doping test. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Monday that an independent tribunal found the Czech player had committed an anti-doping rule violation after declining to provide a sample during an out-of-competition test at her home in December 2025. Under anti-doping regulations, refusing a test carries the same consequences as a positive result. Vondrousova, who became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon when she defeated Ons Jabeur in the 2023 final, argued that stress, mental health struggles and concerns for her personal safety influenced her decision, but the tribunal ruled that she had provided no compelling justification for refusing the test. The 26-year-old reached a career-high ranking of world number six in September 2023 and also finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 2019 and the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Her suspension runs until June 2030, but she retains the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

 

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Former world number seven David Goffin and top seed Francisco Comesana suffered opening-round defeats as several leading contenders exited on the first day of Wimbledon qualifying on Monday. Belgium's Goffin, who announced earlier this year that he will retire at the end of the 2026 season, lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to Italy's Andrea Guerrieri.

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Argentina's Comesana, the highest-ranked player in the men's qualifying draw, squandered a one-set lead before falling 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 to Spain's Alejandro Moro Canas. Former world number 16 and sixth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili also bowed out after Sweden's Elias Ymer rallied from a set down to claim a 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(8) victory. The opening day at Roehampton also saw several seeded players exit, including Coleman Wong (fourth), Henrique Rocha (ninth), Francesco Maestrelli (10th) and Facundo Diaz Acosta (12th). While several seeds departed, a number of experienced campaigners progressed comfortably into the second round. 22nd seed Dusan Lajovic defeated Austria's Lukas Neumayer 6-4, 6-4, while 15th seed Roman Safiullin and 20th seed Tomas Barrios Vera also advanced. British hopes received a boost as former world number 21 Daniel Evans defeated Juan Carlos Prado Angelo in straight sets, while Max Basing, Billy Harris, Paul Jubb, Henry Searle and Oliver Tarvet also won their opening matches.

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The men's second qualifying round takes place on Wednesday, while the women's qualifying competition gets underway on Tuesday, live on SPOTV NOW. Players must win three matches to secure one of the 16 available places in next week's Wimbledon main draw.

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Serena Williams' return to Wimbledon singles competition in 2026 has added another chapter to the tournament's long history of high-profile wild cards. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has accepted a singles invitation from the All England Club after already confirming her participation in the doubles draw alongside sister Venus.

 

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While wild cards often generate debate, Wimbledon has frequently used them to accommodate former champions, returning stars and players whose achievements or circumstances outweigh their rankings. Over the years, several of those decisions have produced some of the tournament's most memorable moments.

Goran Ivanisevic (2001)

No Wimbledon wild card had a greater impact than Ivanisevic's invitation in 2001. The Croatian arrived at the All England Club ranked 125th after injuries had derailed his season and prevented him from entering the tournament directly. A three-time Wimbledon runner-up, Ivanisevic was granted a place in the draw based on his previous achievements on grass. He responded by producing one of the most unlikely title runs in Grand Slam history and becoming the only player to win a Grand Slam singles title as a wild card.

Juan Carlos Ferrero (2009)

Ferrero received a Wimbledon wildcard in 2009 after his ranking dropped outside the world's top 90 during an extended slump. Although primarily known for his success on clay, the former world No. 1 produced one of the strongest men's wildcard campaigns since Ivanisevic's triumph eight years earlier. Ferrero defeated Gilles Simon and Fernando Gonzalez on his way to the quarter-finals before losing to Andy Murray, a run that helped revive his career and contributed to his return to the world's top 20.

 

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Zheng Jie (2008)

Zheng Jie produced one of the most remarkable runs by a Wimbledon wildcard in the Open Era. The Chinese player defeated top seed Ana Ivanovic in the third round and advanced to the semi-finals before eventually losing to Serena Williams. Her run made her the first women's singles wildcard to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals and the first Chinese player to advance that far at a Grand Slam singles tournament.

Pat Cash (1986)

Cash received a Wimbledon wild card in 1986 after injuries and an emergency appendectomy severely disrupted his season and caused his ranking to fall outside the direct entry positions. The Australian justified the invitation by defeating second seed Mats Wilander en route to the quarter-finals, where he lost to Henri Leconte. The run helped restore his confidence after months of injury problems and proved to be a turning point in his comeback. The following year, Cash returned to the All England Club as a seeded player and captured the Wimbledon title.

Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber (2024)

Wimbledon's 2024 women's wild cards were widely regarded as one of the tournament's strongest collective decisions. All four players were Grand Slam champions, but their rankings had fallen because of extended absences rather than declining ability. Raducanu returned after multiple surgeries, Osaka and Kerber resumed competition following maternity leave, and Wozniacki continued her comeback after returning from retirement. Among all the singles wild cards awarded that year, Raducanu produced the best run by reaching the fourth round.

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Malaysia's Hakim Danish became only the third Southeast Asian rider to win a motorcycle Grand Prix after producing a stunning charge from 14th on the grid to win the Moto3 race at the 2026 Grand Prix of Czechia on Sunday. The 18-year-old had originally qualified on the front row at Brno but was demoted to 14th on the grid after receiving a qualifying penalty. Undeterred, the AEON Credit–MT Helmets–MSi rider carved his way through the field to claim his maiden race win ahead of Brian Uriarte and Maximo Quiles.

 

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Indonesia's Veda Pratama also impressed by bagging the fastest lap and finishing fifth, giving Southeast Asia two riders inside the top five and further highlighting the region's growing presence in the Moto3 category. Hakim's victory placed him in an exclusive group of Southeast Asian Grand Prix winners. Before Sunday's breakthrough, only two riders from the region had won races in the modern MotoGP world championship classes. Malaysia's Khairul Idham Pawi became the country's first Grand Prix winner in 2016 after securing Moto3 victories in Argentina and Germany. Somkiat Chantra later became the first Thai rider to win a Grand Prix after claiming victory in the Moto2 class at the Indonesian Grand Prix in 2022 before adding a second win in Japan the following year. No Southeast Asian rider has yet won a premier-class Grand Prix.

 

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