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Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove will definitely remember June 28, 2022 forever. Because there are days you just never forget.
The 30-year-old got stuck on Christina McHale in the fourth qualifying round last Thursday and missed the leap into the main draw. And so, on Tuesday, the Dutchwoman was sitting in the stands as a spectator to cheer on her compatriot Arantxa Rus on Court 16 when she suddenly received the message that she had moved into the main draw at the last minute as a result of Danka Kovinic’s back injury.
The number 138 in the WTA ranking has to hurry because there is not much time. Change, warm up and off you go. And she knows what to do with the gift. She beat 20-year-old Briton Sonay Kartal, world number 226, in three sets 6-4, 3-6 and 6-1.
Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove sets her record, in her four participations in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament she never got further than the 2nd round. And it would be a big sensation if she were to top this record at Wimbledon.
Because in the second round she meets Iga Swiatek, the world number one, who celebrated her 36th victory in a row on Tuesday. Croatian qualifier Jana Fett (WTA 252) swept her away 6:0 and 6:3. Let’s see if it’s that easy for Swiatek on Thursday against the carefree playing lucky loser Kerkhove.
