Tennis: Five-time champion Williams and Svitolina handed Wimbledon wildcards

SEVEN-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and former world number three Elina Svitolina were handed wildcard entries into Wimbledon, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

Williams, 43, has won the third major of the year five times and returned to action this month after a five-month injury layoff.

Williams is currently ranked 697th and is competing in the Birmingham Classic, having secured a victory against a top-50 opponent in nearly four years when she beat Italian Camile Giorgi in the round of 32 on Monday.

Ukrainian Svitolina reached the French Open quarter-finals following a maternity break before suffering a defeat against Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova on her return to grass at Birmingham earlier this week.

British number one Katie Boulter is among the other wildcard entries after winning her first Women's Tennis Association title at the Nottingham Open over the weekend.

Boulter will be joined by compatriots Jodie Burrage, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Heather Watson as wildcard entries.

In the men's tournament, Liam Broady, Jan Choinski, Arthur Fery, David Goffin, George Loffhagen and Ryan Peniston were handed wildcard entries.

The four outstanding wildcards – two men and two women – are yet to be announced.