Wimbledon 2024: Casey Ratzlaff to make history in men's wheelchair event at Wimbledon

The top-ranked American man in wheelchair tennis, Casey Ratzlaff, is set to become the first U.S. player to compete in the men's wheelchair division at Wimbledon.

Wheelchair tennis dates at the Championships dates back to 2005, though singles play only began in 2019. Ratzlaff is one of three Americans to qualify by ranking to this year's tournament, along with Dana Mathewson in the women's event and David Wagner in the quad event. 

Ratzlaff's history-making appearance was facilitated by Wimbledon's decision to expand to a 16-player field in the men's and women's wheelchair tournaments in 2024. The decision to do so brings Wimbledon in line with the other three Grand Slam tournaments: In 2022, the US Open was the first to do it, and last year, the Australian Open and Roland Garros followed.

Ratzlaff, a 25-year-old from Wichita, Kan. enters Wimbledon ranked No. 14 in the world, one spot off of his career high of No. 13, and has drawn Dutchman Tom Egberink in the opening round. Ratzlaff is 0-5 against Egberink in his career, including a marathon 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2 loss in the first round of the Australian Open earlier this year. 

In addition to singles, Ratzlaff will also compete in doubles alongside another Dutchman, Ruben Spaargaren. The pair have played in six tournaments this year, reaching one final on clay, and they also reached the semifinals in the Wimbledon tune-up event at Roehampton last week. 

In the women's event, Mathewson is set to compete in her third Wimbledon, having been the first U.S. woman to ever win a Grand Slam wheelchair tournament when she triumphed with Yui Kamiji two years ago. She'll soon be oppposite the net from Kamiji at these championships, though: She and her partner, another Japanese player in Manami Tanaka, will face Kamiji and South Africa's Kgothatso Montjane in the first round of the doubles this year. In singles, Mathewson and Tanaka will play in the first round, with a possible quarterfinal match against world No. 1 and three-time defending champion Diede de Groot waiting in the wings. 

Rounding out U.S. interests at the Championships is 2021 quad doubles champion David Wagner, who has competed in every edition of the Championships since the division debuted officially in 2019. He and longtime doubles partner Andy Lapthorne, who reached the final together at SW19 two years ago, will duel in the first round of the eight-player singles event, and will sit opposite from the net each other in their first match in doubles. Wagner and his Turkish partner Ahmet Kaplan will play No. 2 seeds Lapthorne and Guy Sasson of Israel in the semifinals.