Wimbledon 2024: 5 Players to Look Out For at Men’s Singles Qualifiers

The Wimbledon 2024 main draw starts on July 1, however, the 128 men who will compete in the qualifying rounds get to compete on June 24. Richard Gasquet and David Goffin are among them. 

For tennis lovers, the qualifying draw at any Grand Slam is a gold mine, often replete with elite players who have fallen in the rankings, budding stars, and those still waiting for their moment to show off on the biggest stages. 

Each player will be trying to win three games over the next few days to punch their ticket into the main draw and ensure they receive at least a £60,000 check.

Let’s have a look at five players to watch out for at Wimbledon 2024 Men’s Singles Qualifiers

1. Richard Gasquet

When it comes to his legacy at the grass-court Major, the French veteran is possibly the most well-known figure among the Wimbledon 2024 qualifiers. He advanced to the 2007 and 2015 semifinals twice.

This week’s second seed, Gasquet faces local player Oliver Crawford in the opening round and is expected to face Vit Kopriva, ranked sixteenth, in the championship match. With three ATP titles under his belt on grass, Gasquet’s background should undoubtedly come in handy as he looks to earn a spot in Wimbledon’s main event for the 18th time.

2. Joao Fonseca

The 17-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca made history last year when he won the boys’ singles championship at the US Open and became the first player from his country to rank No. 1 in the junior world rankings. As he makes the jump to the professional circuit, the Brazilian has a lot of potential and can blast the ball with great power from the backcourt.

Fonseca advanced to his first ATP-level quarterfinal at the Rio Open earlier this year as a wildcard entrant, defeating Arthur Fils and Cristain Garin along the way. He then followed it up with another quarterfinal appearance in Bucharest. In the weeks preceding Wimbledon, he played two or three matches on grass, which ought to have given him enough time to get used to the intricacies of the surface.

The Brazilian’s draw at the Wimbledon qualifiers includes Damir Dzumhur, ranked 10th, and Matteo Gigante, ranked 29th.

3. David Goffin

The experienced Belgian player must compete in the Wimbledon 2024 main draw through the qualifying rounds as he was ranked slightly beyond the entry cut-off when direct entries were decided. Going into the qualifying rounds, Goffin should feel a lot more confident after winning the grass Ilkley Challenger lately.

Goffin has advanced to the finals in Halle and Rosmalen in past years, demonstrating his skill on grass. He is a two-time All-England Club quarterfinalist.

In an attempt to earn a tenth main draw spot at the grass-court Major, the ninth-seeded Belgian takes on Marc Polmans of Australia in the opening round. In the second round, he might play Tim van Rijthoven of the Netherlands, and in the third round, Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain.

4. Hamad Medjedovic

Having Novak Djokovic at your side indicates he is really a talented player. For a while now, the 24-time Grand Slam champion has been a mentor to 20-year-old Hamad Medjedovic from Serbia, and he is starting to demonstrate to the rest of us why.

Three Grand Slams in the last two seasons, the French Open in 2023 and 2024 and Wimbledon in 2023 have already qualified Medjedovic after he won the Next Gen ATP Finals in December. This year in Rome, he also put fourth seed Daniil Medvedev to the test in an exciting third-round match.

The 17th-seeded Serb takes on the former junior Grand Slam champion Daniel Rincon in the opening round of the Wimbledon qualifying tournament. In the second round, he may play either seventh-seeded Gregoire Barrere or former top-10 player Diego Schwartzman.

5. Lucas Pouille

The 30-year-old Frenchman is a top-tier player in the sport. Pouille, a 2016 Wimbledon quarterfinalist and former top 10 player, fell hard as a result of injuries and has been transparent about his struggles with alcoholism and despair since then.

After becoming a father, Pouille is content with his personal life and has spent the last 18 months regaining his position. He finished second in one ATP Challenger event this year and won another in Austria. He hasn’t yet participated in a game on grass in 2024, though.

If Pouille wishes to claim one of the 16 qualifying slots, he will have to overcome a group that includes two Frenchmen who are ranked, Luca van Assche and Harold Mayot.

Also Read: 5 greats who failed to strike gold in tennis at the Olympics