The long overdue (no staking) tennis betting and discussion thread

Just a quick update before Wimbledon.

Kartal is out for the grass season. Raducanu has suffered through illness for a couple of months, but is due to play Queen's next week. There were rumours she'd play Birmingham in the Telegraph, but it didn't happen. Hoping she flies now she is back with Richardson.

Going to start with Birmingham, as I think they got the women's wild cards exactly right. Swan has come back with a few ITF tournament wins. Dart seems to have put last year's unfortunate event behind her, and is now playing well. You could argue Stojsavljevic or Xu, but Mika has the more recent form. Alicia Dudeney has come off US college tennis and won about 5 ITFs (something people expected.Radjecki to do), and fully deserves her place (must have won close to 80% of her matches? Give all these five wild cards for Wimbledon and think Fran Jones gets in automatically, so doesn't need one.

There has been talk of Serena getting a wild card after doubles at Queen's. Also assume Klugman gets one, as she did last year. Not sure she deserves one as she is ranked about the same level as 18 months ago. Maybe one more goes to Burrage over Watson, though not sure either should either. Will see how they do before Wimbledon. Don't think any of them can have complaints if we only have 5 GB players with main draw wild cards (would put Burrage in above others, Watson hasn't shown anything for 3/4 years.

Men is much tougher to get a wildcard. Jan Choinski scraped into the main draw on ranking, and Draper gets in as it was decided before he lost this week's points.

Definites must be Pinnington Jones, Fery, Samuel, Harris and Fearnley. Think a few others have got lucky with Draper and Choinski's main draw appearances or they would be fighting for one spot.

Think you must give one Dan Evans as was near the top quite recently. Felix Gill maybe, as a solid improved, if not more a clay courter. They gave a wild card to Tarvet in Birmingham, which felt a bit random. Crawford has just won a challenger. Wendelken has been really solid. Broady hasn't done enough? Could be any 3 from 10 though, so a good run by any of them in Birmingham, Nottingham or Ilkley could see any of them in. Am assuming it is unlikely any of them get through qualifying and a couple of rounds at Queen's.

Think Searle must miss out even if he is a bit of a golden boy.

Don't know if any ex-champions are asking for a wildcard this time.