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The qualifying event for this year's Wimbledon came to an end earlier on Thursday, June 26. Sixteen qualifiers on the men's and women's side each successfully earned the right to play in the main draw of the grasscourt Major. Four of them, including the fast-rising Carson Branstine, have previously played NCAA Division I tennis.
Texas A&M's Branstine, who was the ITA Texas Region Rookie of the Year in 2022, secured her qualifier berth against all odds this week. After springing up an upset victory against French Open semifinalist Lois Boisson in three sets in the first qualifying round at Wimbledon, the 24-year-old scripted another impressive win by getting the better of former World No. 4 Bianca Andreescu in another three-setter.
In the final qualifying round, the Canadian came from a set down to beat Raluca Georgiana Serban, thereby securing her maiden Major main draw appearance. Ranked 197th in the world, Branstine had played a big role in Texas A&M winning its first-ever NCAA DI women's tennis championships last year.
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World No. 163 Chris Rodesch, meanwhile, made the University of Virginia proud this week by securing his first-ever main draw berth at Wimbledon. The 23-year-old began his campaign by recording straight-set victories against Mark Lajal and Matteo Gigante before needing four sets to get past the top-seeded Hungarian Marton Fucsovics in the final qualifying round.
The Luxembourger will also be joined in the main draw at SW19 by San Diego alums August Holmgren and Oliver Tarvet. While Denmark's Holmgren saved three match points in his final-qualifying round bout with Japan's Yosuke Watanuki, the World No. 719 Tarvet beat Belgium's Alexander Blockx in four sets on Thursday to make it to the main draw.
Texas A&M's Carson Branstine had secured her first WTA Tour win at Wimbledon lead-up event Libema Open earlier in June
Before this month, Canada's Carson Branstine had mostly plied her trade on the ITF circuit, securing seven singles and three doubles titles. Earlier this month, the 24-year-old qualified for the Libema Open in commanding fashion before upsetting World No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova in three sets to record her first career tour-level main draw win.
Although Branstine lost in the Round of 16 to Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse in straight sets, her run at the WTA 250 tournament set the tone for her campaign at this week's Wimbledon qualifying event.
Branstine had also vied for a qualifier's spot at last month's French Open, going out to Switzerland's Rebecca Masarova in straight sets.
