London, UK, 22 June 2021 | Leigh Rogers

Eight Australians are competing in the Wimbledon 2021 ladies qualifying singles competition this week, each trying to earn a coveted main draw spot.

Meet our Aussie hopes …

Astra Sharma, 25, Western Australia
Sharma, who is contesting Wimbledon qualifying for the first time in her career, is the No.19 seed. The world No.127 won her maiden WTA singles title earlier this season, claiming a first top-30 win against Ons Jabeur in the Charleston final. The self-belief this provided was evident at Roland Garros last month, with Australia’s No.3-ranked woman matching her career-best result at a major to reach the second round. She begins her Wimbledon qualifying campaign against world No.223 Katharina Gerlach, a 23-year-old German whose best results have been on clay.
Wimbledon career record: 0-1 (0-0 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: First round (2019)

Maddison Inglis, 23, Western Australia
The cancellation of Wimbledon last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic denied Inglis the opportunity to make her tournament debut, but the world No.140 gets her chance this year. Inglis, who won her first WTA main draw match during the Melbourne Summer Series in February, is the No.28 seed. She meets world No.215 Natalija Kostic in the opening round, a 26-year-old Serbian who she has never previously played. Inglis missed Roland Garros last month and is aiming to win her first match since returning to the tour for the grass-court season.
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (0-0 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Making debut

Lizette Cabrera, 23, Queensland
This is Cabrera’s third appearance in a Wimbledon qualifying draw – will it be third time lucky? The world No.146 has made the second round in her two previous qualifying attempts. Cabrera can also take confidence from a second-round effort at Nottingham earlier this month, scoring her first WTA-level main draw win since January 2020 then pushing world No.93 Zarina Diyas to three sets. Cabrera has drawn 22-year-old British wildcard Katie Swan in the first round. It is her first career meeting against the world No.290.
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (2-2 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Qualifying second round (2017, 2018)

Storm Sanders, 26, Western Australia
Milestones are quickly adding up for Sanders this season, who is at a career-high ranking of No.147. After qualifying for a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at Roland Garros last month, the left-handed Sanders is now making her singles debut at Wimbledon and is determined to continue her incredible momentum. She has been handed a difficult draw though, pitted against world No.106 and third seed Sara Errani in the first round. The 34-year-old Italian is a former world No.5, who has twice made the third round at Wimbledon.
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (0-0 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Making debut

> READ: Rain delays Wimbledon qualifying

Arina Rodionova, 31, Victoria
Rodionova knows how to win matches in Wimbledon qualifying, earning main draw spots in 2017 and 2019. In her main draw debut in 2017, she memorably saved seven match points to defeat recent Roland Garros finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round. The world No.149, who lists grass as her favourite surface, is in top form too after making the biggest final of her career last week in Nottingham. Her tricky all-court game is sure to trouble world No.174 Giulia Gatto-Monticone in the opening round.
Wimbledon career record: 1-2 (9-3 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Second round (2017)

Priscilla Hon, 23, Queensland
This is Hon’s fifth tournament in a comeback from a hip injury that sidelined her last year. Hon, who built some valuable momentum with a doubles final appearance in Nottingham last week, plays world No.179 Grace Min in the first round. Hon can also take confidence from a winning record against the 27-year-old American, scoring a straight-sets victory when they last played in 2018. The world No.176-ranked Hon has competed in Wimbledon qualifying twice before, reaching the second round in both 2018 and 2019. 
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (2-2 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Qualifying second round (2018, 2019)

> READ: Aussie men ready for Wimbledon qualifying

Ellen Perez, 25, New South Wales
It has been two years since Perez last played a competitive singles match on grass – but the world No.231 has been in impressive form on the doubles court. The left-handed Perez made the Birmingham final last week, a perfect warm-up ahead of her second appearance in a Wimbledon singles qualifying draw. Her first-round opponent is Switzerland’s Leonie Kung, a 20-year-old ranked No.159. Although Kung is making her Wimbledon debut at this level, she was a girls’ singles finalist at the tournament in 2018.
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (0-1 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Qualifying first round (2019)

Destanee Aiava, 21, Victoria
Aiava is a proven grass-court threat, scoring a career-first top-10 win against Aryna Sabalenka on the surface in 2019. The powerful ball-striker has come close to qualifying at Wimbledon before too, reaching the final round in her 2017 debut. The world No.245, who is making her third appearance in Wimbledon qualifying, begins her 2021 campaign against Bulgarian Elitsa Kostova. The 31-year-old Kostova is ranked No.259 and trying to qualify at a major for the first time following 28 previous unsuccessful attempts.
Wimbledon career record: 0-0 (2-2 in qualifying)
Wimbledon best result: Qualifying final round (2017)

> VIEW: Full Wimbledon ladies qualifying singles draw

The ladies singles qualifying competition begins in London tonight, with matches from 8pm AEST. To earn a main draw place, players need to win three rounds.

Three Australian women – world No.1 Ash Barty, world No.73 Ajla Tomljanovic and Sam Stosur, who is using her protected ranking of No.97 – have received direct entry into the Wimbledon main draw.