29 Jun 2018

Fourth NZ player makes Wimbledon

6:08 am on 29 June 2018

There will be a fourth New Zealand doubles player competing at Wimbledon next week.

The 23 year old Canadian based New Zealander Erin Routliffe has qualified for the main draw with her Chilean partner Alexa Guarachi.

They beaten Russian Anna Kalinskaya and Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova 6-4 6-4 in the second round of qualifying at Roehampton.

"We are so excited. We didn't even know we were going to get into qualifying so being in the main draw feels unbelievable. I just really can't wait to play." Routliffe said.

Erin Routliffe latest tournament win will be a major boost to her world ranking.

Erin Routliffe Photo: Photosport

Routliffe who started the year ranked 339 in doubles, has improved to 116 and she and Guarachi were the last acceptances into the qualifying draw.

"We stayed calm and aggressive the whole time. We knew they were a very good team and to win we had to play on our terms with first serves and big returns and we did that." Routliffe said.

She took a risk flying to London in a bid to make Wimbledon qualifying where her participation wasn't guaranteed but the gamble has now paid off big time.

Routliffe will be in the ladies doubles draw at the All England Club this weekend and joins fellow New Zealanders men Michael Venus, Marcus Daniell and Artem Sitak in competing at the All England Club.

It will be Routliffe's debut Grand Slam appearance.

-RNZ