Katie Swan collapses in joy after injury hell as Brits claim first Wimbledon win | Tennis | Sport

Katie Swan is assured of a minimum £126,000 windfall from her exploits at Wimbledon after progressing to the second round of the prestigious Grand Slam. The Bristol-born tennis star – who now calls Wichita, Kansas, home – stepped onto the courts of SW19 ranked at No. 196 on the WTA Tour, bracing herself for a stern examination against Irina-Camelia Begu on Tuesday.

Despite the Romanian sitting 23 places higher in the rankings, it was Swan who stunned spectators on Court 16, storming to a 6-4, 6-4 victory to secure her place in the second round of the tournament. As a direct consequence of triumph, the 27-year-old has also seen her prize money from the third Grand Slam of the year increase considerably.

Players reaching the first round of the men’s or women’s singles at Wimbledon are entitled to an £80,000 payout. That figure, however, jumps to £126,000 for simply advancing to the second round.

Depending on her form, Swan could further bolster her earnings, with those reaching the last 32 pocketing £185,000, while those progressing to the last 16 taking home a handsome £300,000. Her advancement ultimately hinges on a victory against either Kayla Day or Madison Keys.

This marks the second occasion Swan has reached the second round at Wimbledon, having achieved the same feat in 2018 with a win over the very same opponent. Regrettably, her campaign ended at the next hurdle, with a 6-0, 6-3 defeat to Mihaela Buzărnescu. It also marks the first time Swan has featured at the Wimbledon finals in three years, having fought back from serious back problems in 2024 that left her convinced her career was finished before it had properly got off the ground.

Speaking ahead of this week’s instalment of Wimbledon, she told the Press Association: “I got to a point where I just didn’t really want to rehab anymore. It was too hard. I’d been doing it for so long, and I hadn’t really seen any improvements. I never really wanted to stop playing tennis, I just couldn’t see a way through physically to keep going.”

That all changed last year, however, when Swan began undergoing a different form of treatment targeting the nerves in her back. She added: “It was really excruciating treatment.. “There were times when I cried during the sessions, but I just had to trust him because he told me that it was going to be worth it and I was going to feel better. It was my last resort.”

It follows a torrid opening round for British players at Wimbledon across both the men’s and women’s draws. Not only did Emma Raducanu withdraw on Sunday evening, but Jack Draper was also forced to pull out of his match against Taylor Fritz, which was slated for Tuesday.

In total, 10 British players were knocked out of the tournament in the first round on Monday, setting a new unwanted record for home defeats. Alongside Raducanu and Draper, Harriet Dart, Mika Stojsavljevic, Oliver Tarvet, Hannah Klugman, Felix Gill, Cameron Norrie, Francesca Jones and Mingge Xu all made swift departures from the tournament.

Katie Boulter was also knocked out by Tyra Caterina Grant on Tuesday, pushing the overall tally of British wins and defeats to a dismal 1-11.