Katie O’Brien: Eager to make the most of wild card opportunity at Wimbledon

I’m ranked 218th in the world and there are 128 players in the women’s singles.

I knew there was a good chance I would get one but I was certainly not expecting one. I was obviously very grateful when I did get one.

And don’t get me wrong, I shall be giving everything I have as I always do. But I understand why the amount of wild cards given out is such a big issue – whether there’s too many or too few given to home players.

First of all, a player like myself doesn’t apply for a wild card as such, it’s the All England Club who make the final decision.

They consult with the Lawn Tennis Association, who then put forward names that they believe deserve one.

There is a ranking criteria for the main draw, if you’re inside the top 250, or an exceptional junior, then your name will be put forward.

But at the end of the day it’s at the All England Club’s discretion as to who they give the wild cards to and who they don’t.

I have had quite a few wild cards in the past and, like I said, if I’m honest I’m not entirely sure I deserved one this year.

It’s not been my greatest year, especially having once been in the top 100.

But having said that there aren’t that many British players coming through.

So if, at 25-years-old, I’m the best of what they’ve got then so be it.

And from a fan’s perspective, the British supporters who come down to Wimbledon want to see homegrown players competing here.

But standards in this country should be higher than they actually are.

From my perspective I can’t control that, I just try to do the best that I can do.

Wild cards are great for younger players. It really does help them break through.

Just the odd win here and there can be a massive confidence boost and carries so many points that it can do wonders for your ranking.

It’s really instrumental going forward in your career when you’re a younger player.

I can’t stress enough how fortunate we are in this country to have a home grand slam and to have massive opportunities like this to play in grand slam main draws.

When I was just starting out in my career it was hugely beneficial playing at Wimbledon.

That’s what gave me the drive to work harder, to get into other grand slams by my own right.

I managed to do that for a small period, but unfortunately I’ve dropped back down again.

I’m just grateful to have been given the opportunity. I don’t think being given a wild card puts any more pressure on my shoulders. Regardless of the situation I am going to go out there and give it my best.

Obviously I want to justify that the wild card I was given was warranted, but whether on a wild card or in the main draw on my own merits – it’s Wimbledon and I want to go out there and win.

I’m feeling pretty good about my game, I’ve been at Wimbledon since last weekend.

I played three tournaments on grass leading up to this, but I have to admit, the results didn’t provide the preparation I wanted going in to Wimbledon fortnight.

But grass is my favourite surface and I’m feeling good about it, so hopefully things will improve.

Playing Wimbledon is an absolute privilege, even just walking around the place in practice week puts a huge smile on your face.

I remember first coming down as a fan when I was six and thinking I’d like to play here one day. Wimbledon is unique and doesn’t compare to any other tournament.

My first-round opponent Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan is ranked around 60th now but she was once ranked No 4 in the world, albeit in 1995. She is one of a kind because she’s 40-plus but I can assure you she’s one of the best athletes out there.

She has a few top-10 scalps to her name in the last year or two so it’s definitely not a match to be taken lightly. Her performances haven’t been great this year but the Japanese like the grass, it suits their game. Krumm likes to take it early, she’s got exceptional timing so I’m going to have to do my best to get the first strike in so she’s on the back foot rather than me.

I’d rather be playing Krum than a Serena Williams or a Caroline Wozniacki.

I want the most winnable match possible so that I can hopefully progress in the tournament. I’ve never had the opportunity to play on Centre Court or Court One, so I would love to be able to do that, it would be so special.

It won’t happen in the first round, but maybe in the second or third round. I’ll just take my progress match by match.

I’ve only actually won one match at Wimbledon. I’ve had a few tough battles in the past, I just take it one match at a time and any match I can win here is a bonus.

Every tournament we go out and try to do our best.

Here at Wimbledon we get more time on-site to prepare than we usually would do at most other tournaments, so I want to take advantage of that.

It’s also good being at home, we have all the coaching team from the LTA, physical trainers, physios; all of which are on hand to help when I need them.

I’m also lucky to have my family on hand supporting me.

Usually when you’re at a tournament you’re lucky if you have one person supporting you, but this week I’ll have a lot of people in my corner. As will all us British players.

The women’s game has been boosted by Elena Baltacha’s win at Nottingham.

Elena has been doing really well in recent years and her win at Nottingham last weekend is a big boost for British women’s tennis.

She’s almost 28 and only now just starting to peak so that gives a lot of the other girls hope that if they haven’t broken through or made the top 100 by the age of 21 then there’s still time for them to do that.

Elena has proven that it can be done, Anne Keothavong has and even I have in the past.

Anne started the ball rolling by breaking into the top 100, Elena has since followed and both Mel South and myself have been up there.

Laura Robson and Heather Watson are bright prospects but I’d like to see a few more British juniors coming up through the ranks behind them.

Picking an overall winner this fortnight is hard in both draws. The main thing is how exciting the two sections are.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are pretty much all at their peak at the moment and any match-up between those four is normally a classic.

I would probably put Federer as the favourite but I really hope Andy comes through. He seems really confident at the moment and it would be fantastic for British tennis if he could pull it off.

On the women’s side it’s a lot more open.

The Williams sisters are usually the favourites but they haven’t competed much at all in the last year.

I wouldn’t discount them.

Li Na was impressive in France and she’s got to be one of the favourites.

But it’s a really tough call.

Don’t miss Yorkshire’s Katie O’Brien writing for the Yorkshire Post every month in Sports Monday.