British veteran Evans given Wimbledon wildcard

Dan Evans has reached the third round at Wimbledon on three occasions in 2016, 2019 and 2021

Former British number one Dan Evans has been given a wildcard into the mens singles draw at Wimbledon later this month.

Evans, 35, recently regained his place in the worlds top 200 and the news comes two days after the former world number 21 earned his biggest win in two years.

Two-time womens singles champion Petra Kvitova has also received a wildcard, which are given to players who are not ranked high enough for direct entry.

Czech former world number two Kvitova, who is continuing her comeback from maternity leave, is the only non-British player named in the initial batch of wildcards announced on Wednesday.

Teenagers Mika Stojsavljevic - the US Open girls champion last year - and Hannah Klugman - the French Open girls finalist earlier this month - have also been given entry into the main draw.

Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Francesca Jones and Heather Watson will join them, but French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson is a notable omission.

Boisson, 22, was ranked 361st in the world - way below the cut-off point to the 128-player main draw - when the deadline for the entry lists passed shortly before the start of the French Open last month.

The grass-court Grand Slam tournament begins at the All England Club on 30 June.

A stalwart of the British game, Evans said last year he did not want to be "coming back to ask" for a Wimbledon wildcard.

But the world number 199 has been rewarded by the All England Club after continuing to persevere on the lower-tier ATP Challenger Tour.

Evans has insisted he believes he still has the level to break back into the worlds top 100 - which is good enough for direct entry into the sports four Grand Slam tournaments.

On Monday, he demonstrated his faith was well placed in an impressive win over 13th-ranked Frances Tiafoe in the Queens first round.

"Im the first to harp on about the wildcards. Its not just about one week or one match. Its about what you do 52 weeks of the year," Evans said after beating former US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe.

"Tennis is not just about the grass court season in Britain. Its great that weve got an amazing set of events, but there is other tournaments.

"I havent been good enough at those other tournaments, but Ive still been professional, still train day in, day out."

Seven British players - Jack Draper, Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal, Jacob Fearnley, Cameron Norrie and Billy Harris - are ranked high enough to receive direct entry into the singles draws.

On Wednesday, wildcards were given to seven British mens players, with one spot to be confirmed over the next fortnight.

Mens singles wildcards: Jay Clarke, Oliver Crawford, Dan Evans, George Loffhagen, Johannus Monday, Jack Pinnington Jones, Henry Searle.

All eight wildcards in the womens draw were announced, with a third promising teenager - 17-year-old Welsh player Mimi Xu - joining Stojsavljevic and Klugman.

Womens singles wildcards: Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Francesca Jones, Hannah Klugman, Petra Kvitova, Mika Stojsavljevic, Heather Watson, Mimi Xu.

The wildcards are chosen at the discretion of the Wimbledon committee.

"Wildcards are usually offered on the basis of past performance at Wimbledon or to increase British interest," the tournament said.