Mimi Xu To End Welsh Wimbledon Absence As She Earns Singles Wildcard

Mimi Xu is set to make history at Wimbledon 2025 as the first Welsh player to appear in the main singles draw in two decades. 

The 17-year-old rising star from Swansea has been awarded a wildcard into the women’s singles championship which begins in south west London on  Monday.

The draw – which takes place on Friday – will see Xu end a 20-year wait since Rebecca Llewellyn last flew the Welsh flag in the main draw back in 2005.

Xu’s inclusion is a landmark moment for Welsh tennis and a reward for her recent surge in form. 

Over the past month, she’s racked up four WTA-level wins across the Nottingham, Ilkley and Birmingham events – including a headline-grabbing victory over world No.52 and top seed Alycia Parks on a show court in Birmingham. 

Her strong grass-court performances have propelled her up the rankings to world No.318.

Wimbledon is familiar territory for Xu, who first made headlines at the All England Club as a 14-year-old wildcard in the women’s qualifying – the youngest ever in the Open Era. 

Last year, the former U16 and U18 British champion finished runner-up in the girls’ doubles event. 

But this year marks her biggest leap yet, as she prepares to step into the Grand Slam spotlight in the senior singles.

Born and raised in Swansea, Xu honed her skills at the Swansea Tennis and Squash Club and the Swansea Tennis Centre, before joining the LTA National Academy in Loughborough. 

James Story at Lexus Ilkley Open Qualifying

She now trains alongside British stars Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.

Xu may also feature in the junior draw – where she would be a strong title contender – but all eyes will be on her historic main-draw debut next week.

Xu isn’t the only Welsh talent featuring at SW19 this year. 

Cardiff’s James Story, 24, made his Wimbledon qualifying debut after winning the LTA Wimbledon Play-Offs. 

Though he fell in the opening round to world No.107 Tomas Barrios Vera, Story showcased his potential on the big stage.

 
Felix Bockelmann-Evans (right) at the British Championships. 

A former US collegiate player and 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist, Story turned pro in 2024 and continues to climb the ATP rankings.

Meanwhile, Felix Bockelmann-Evans, 18, from Penarth, will fly the Welsh flag in the Junior Championships. 

He earned his spot in the boys’ doubles after a stunning run to the national title with partner Ferran Redza, taking down the top three seeded pairings.

It will be a Wimbledon debut for Bockelmann-Evans, who has already lifted a men’s title on home soil this year at Cardiff Met.