Andy Murray and Dan Evans have been granted a wildcard entry into the French Open doubles tournament at Roland Garros. This move comes as both players aim to prepare for the Olympics doubles event, which will also be held on the clay courts of Roland Garros in June. While they are expected to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, they may not play together as Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, who have a combined nine Grand Slam doubles titles, are also contenders for the doubles team.
Murray, who is the only male tennis player in history to have won two Olympic gold medals in singles, has a strong track record in international competitions. The i reported that this is the first time in 23 years that a men’s pair without French representation has received a doubles wildcard for the French Open. This makes Murray and Evans stand out among the wild card recipients, as they are the only non-French pair in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The French Open’s decision to limit wild cards for the singles event to home players, as well as players from the U.S. and Australia, is significant. This reciprocal arrangement with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Tennis Australia means that even two-time finalist Dominic Thiem did not receive a wild card. Thiem, currently in his final months on tour, had to go through qualifying matches and was ultimately eliminated by Finland’s Otto Virtanen in straight sets.
Despite not receiving a wild card, Thiem expressed gratitude for his time at Roland Garros and acknowledged the special relationship he has with the tournament. Murray, on the other hand, will be competing in both the singles and doubles events at the French Open. It is somewhat surprising that he was granted a wild card while other eligible players such as Thiem, Caroline Wozniacki, Simona Halep, and Emma Raducanu were not. However, Murray’s impressive career as a three-time major champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist may have played a role in the decision.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has stated that their priority for wild cards in singles is given to French players, with exceptions made for players from Tennis Australia and the USTA. The FFT’s selection policy for doubles wild cards is still unclear, and further information is being sought by The Athletic.
Overall, Murray and Evans’ wildcard entry into the French Open doubles tournament adds another layer of excitement to the event. It will be interesting to see how they perform and whether they will secure a spot on the Great Britain Olympic doubles team or if Salisbury and Skupski will take the lead. Regardless, their participation will undoubtedly bring attention to the tournament and further highlight the talent on display at Roland Garros.