Could I qualify for Wimbledon?

For many, playing at Wimbledon – one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world – is the dream.

So, can anyone qualify? And how would you do it?

How do players qualify for Wimbledon?

To automatically qualify for Wimbledon, you need to be ranked higher than 104 in the world at the cut-off point, which is about six weeks before the tournament.

But players ranked lower are sometimes included, if those higher up the rankings withdraw.

Professional players accumulate ranking points by playing in ATP and WTA events. There are more points available for higher levels of tournaments, ranging from Grand Slams down to ATP and WTA 250 events.

These tournaments are reserved for professional players competing on the ATP and WTA tour – not for the likes of you and me.

To calculate the men’s singles world rankings, the ATP takes a player’s points collected from the best 19 results during a 12-month period. For the women’s singles rankings, the WTA counts the best 18 results from the same timeframe.

Who are the Wimbledon qualifiers for?

The Wimbledon qualifying tournament, which is running from Monday 23 June to Thursday 26 June, is reserved for players who are not already guaranteed a spot in the main draw.

These are players who are outside the top 104, according to the world rankings.

Players will compete in a three-round knockout tournament to earn one of the Championships’ 16 places for both the men’s and women’s draws.

The tournament organisers – the All England Lawn Tennis Club – also awards wildcards to players typically based on their previous performances at Wimbledon.

• How are Wimbledon wildcards decided?

So, how can I get ranking points?

Your ranking is a crucial metric should you want to make your Wimbledon dreams materialise.

The first logistical hurdle is getting yourself an International Player Identification Number, or an IPIN, from the sport’s world governing body – the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Anyone can apply for one, and with a one-off payment of $75 (£65) you will then be able to enter tournaments.

You will also need to get yourself an ITF World Tennis number, which is free. In the UK, the Lawn Tennis Association provides the instructions as to how to set yourself up with one.

World Tennis Numbers allows players to find evenly matched opponents and track performance. This system was introduced by the ITF in October 2021, and is now operational in 174 countries around the world.

The global rating system for players is on a scale from 40 (beginner) to one (professional). Improving your performance over time might allow you to hit eligibility criteria for the ITF World Tennis Tours, the entry level competitions for men’s and women’s tennis.

For the ITF Tours events, players with a WTA (women’s) or ATP (men’s) singles ranking will be selected first, followed by those with an ITF World Tennis Ranking, and then those with a ITF World Tennis Number.

These World Tennis Tours provide several levels of competition for players to gain ranking points, and work their way up the rankings to a level which they might be considered for ATP or WTA events.

It’s a well-trodden pathway used by the likes of Emma Raducanu, who won her first three professional titles on the ITF World Tennis Tour – before going on to win her fourth at a Grand Slam, the US Open.

Getting yourself in roughly the top 220 ranked players in the world will start allowing you to enter qualifying for ATP and WTA events. The more successful players are in these events, the more ranking points they will earn, and the closer they get towards qualifying for the main draw at Wimbledon.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.

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