Tennis: Kiwi makes it into Wimbledon doubles qualifying

Erin Routliffe, left, switched allegiances to New Zealand last year.

Erin Routliffe will bid to make it four New Zealanders in the doubles main draw at Wimbledon next week.

The Auckland born 23-year-old Canadian based player who switched allegiances to New Zealand last year, has sneaked into Ladies doubles qualifying at Roehampton.

Routliffe who has seen her ranking improve more than 300 places to 116 in doubles after winning eight ITF Futures titles in 2018, will team up with her regular US based partner, Chilean Alexa Guarachi.

"I decided it was definitely worth the risk to try and took the gamble and thank goodness it worked out because we were the last pair in," Routliffe said.

In fact when the announcement was first made, Routliffe and Guarachi were told they were one place out of the draw and had a nervous wait before it was corrected and they were called over the loud speaker to be given the good news.

They have been drawn against the sixth seeds in qualifying, Australian Priscilla Hon ranked 95 and Dutch player Arantxa Rus (128) and will play tonight New Zealand time.

"It's just a big opportunity that we didn't think we would get a couple of months ago, so honestly we are just really really pumped."

Routliffe played against Rus and Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa at Auckland's ASB Classic in January and with fellow Kiwi Paige Hourigan lost a close match.

"We know both opponents pretty well which is good." Routliffe said.

The Canadian based Kiwi hasn't played any grass court tournaments since playing at Junior Wimbledon when she was 17, six years ago. However she has had plenty of practice over the past couple of days in London and feels it will suit her game.

"I feel good and I am not worried about the grass it suits me (she has a big serve) and if you are serving well you are going to get free points on grass." Routliffe said.

Meanwhile Marcus Daniell and his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof have been narrowly beaten in the first round of the ATP tournament in Eastbourne.

Daniell and Koolhof have lost 7-6 (3) 3-6 10-7 to Americans Ryan Harrison and Nicholas Monroe in 1 hr 27

Kiwi number one Michael Venus and his South African partner Raven Klaasen will face the Skupski brothers Neal and Ken in the quarter finals in Eastbourne overnight.