Six men have received wild cards into the 2026 Wimbledon men’s singles draw.
Grigor Dimitrov, Stan Wawrinka, Jacob Fearnley, Jack Pinnington Jones, Toby Samuel, and Arthur Fery have been given wild cards.
There are two wild cards still to be allocated, with Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, and Gael Monfils among the names interested.
You’re the Wimbledon tournament director… which TWO of these players are you giving a wildcard to?
They will all have dreams of lifting the Wimbledon title next month, doing what just one man has done before…
Goran Ivanisevic is the only wild card to have won the Wimbledon singles title
25 years ago, Goran Ivanisevic received a wild card for the Wimbledon men’s singles draw.
Ivanisevic was a three-time runner-up at the All England Club, but had fallen to 125th in the world rankings due to a significant shoulder injury.
Goran Ivanisevic’s first three Wimbledon finals
- 1992 [LOSS] vs Andre Agassi, 7-6, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 4-6
- 1994 [LOSS] vs Pete Sampras, 6-7, 6-7, 0-6
- 1998 [LOSS] vs Pete Sampras, 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 2-6
Everyone knew what Ivanisevic was capable of on the grass, although he certainly wasn’t one of the favourites to lift the trophy in 2001.
When searching for favourites, you didn’t have to look much further than the top eight seeds.
Top eight seeds at Wimbledon in 2001
- [1] Pete Sampras
- [2] Andre Agassi
- [3] Pat Rafter
- [4] Marat Safin
- [5] Lleyton Hewitt
- [6] Tim Henman
- [7] Yevgeny Kafelnikov
- [8] Juan Carlos Ferrero
Pete Sampras was the clear favourite, travelling to London as the four-time defending champion.
However, the draw opened up when Sampras was stunned by the future legend, Roger Federer, in the fourth round.
While the world watched in awe as the Swiss star produced an all-time shock on Centre Court, Ivanisevic was quietly going about his business elsewhere.
Ivanisevic dropped just two sets on his way to the quarter-finals, brushing past Fredrik Jonsson, Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick, and Greg Rusedski.
In doing so, he set up a quarter-final clash with the fourth seed, Marat Safin.
Ivanisevic defeated Safin in four sets, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, advancing to the semis where he met the home favourite, Tim Henman.
To this day, Ivanisevic and Henman’s 2001 Wimbledon semi-final is one of the most talked about matches in tournament history.
In typical British fashion, rain delays forced Ivanisevic and Henman to play their match across three days.
Momentum swung back and forth, as both players gave it their all in a bid to reach the final.
Henman looked to be closing in on victory, winning the third set 6-0, before disaster struck for the Briton as rain suspended play once more.
Ivanisevic eventually secured the win in five sets, breaking Henman’s heart, advancing to the championship match.
There, he was forced into a deciding fifth set once more, defeating Pat Rafter in a classic to clinch the title.
Ivanisevic didn’t have it easy, but finally won his maiden Grand Slam title, becoming the first wild card to win Wimbledon.
Goran Ivanisevic’s route to the Wimbledon title
- 1R [WIN] vs Fredrik Jonsson, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
- 2R [WIN] vs (21) Carlos Moya, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
- 3R [WIN] vs Andy Roddick, 7-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3
- 4R [WIN] vs Greg Rusedski, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4
- QF [WIN] vs (4) Marat Safin, 7-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6
- SF [WIN] vs (6) Tim Henman, 7-5, 6-7, 0-6, 7-6, 6-3
- F [WIN] vs (3) Pat Rafter, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7
The question now is, can anyone repeat the feat in 2026?
Could a wild card win the men’s Wimbledon title this year?
It’s unlikely, but not impossible…
Take Dimitrov, for example. The Bulgarian led the eventual champion Jannik Sinner by two sets to love on Centre Court last year, before retiring due to injury.
He has struggled ever since, but if he can somehow rediscover that form, who knows what he may be capable of?
Wawrinka and the Brits are unlikely to mount a challenge, although the two unconfirmed wild cards may be worth keeping an eye on.
If it is to be Berrettini and/or Kyrgios, two former finalists, there is every chance they make a run.
Both players have struggled with injuries since reaching the final at the All England Club, but when they are on form, they are two of the best grass-court players alive.
It remains to be seen if any of the names above can do what Ivanisevic did 25 years ago.
The 2026 Wimbledon Championships begin on Monday, June 29.
