[pattymayo]

So this Spanish chick Paula Badosa Gilbert is playing the other Pliskova right now, and I see Pliskova had to win 2 qualifying matches to get in (she's ranked right around 100)... how is Gilbert automatically in the field here? Looks like she's ranked outside of 200... I see she did make the third round last year, does that make her eligible for an automatic bid this year?

[MGTennisTipster]

Hello pattymayo

Paula Badosa Gilbert received an invitation to play the tournament, named as Wild Card on tennis. Every tournament has a number of WC they can give to players they like to invite.

Sometimes there are also some partnerships between Federations and they exchange wild cards. One example is between the French and American federations, with some French players receiving wild cards to play the US Open while American players receive wild cards to play the French Open.

[pattymayo]

interesting. What does one have to do to receive an invitation? I assumed maybe win a low level ITF tourney or something to get in, but you're saying they just give these invites out regardless?

[MGTennisTipster]

interesting. What does one have to do to receive an invitation? I assumed maybe win a low level ITF tourney or something to get in, but you're saying they just give these invites out regardless?

There are so many things that can affect. One of them and probably the most important is the partnerships between Federations. Other is to give wild card to young talented players from the country where the tournament is played or sometimes from other countries.

In some cases they can even give a wild card to a high ranked player. For example, Nadal didn't sign up in Buenos Aires this year until the deadline but because he lost in Australian Open's first round he requested a Wild Card to play that event. On this case he had ranking to play but because he missed the sign up period he had to receive a wild card to play.

[pattymayo]

good stuff. thanks

[xdodger19]

You couldn't figure that out?