Saturday 25 June 2016 00:09, UK
Britain's 23rd best tennis player, Marcus Willis, will make his Wimbledon debut after coming through six qualifying matches.
The 25-year-old, ranked 775 in the world, has been spending his time coaching and last played a tournament in Tunisia in January.
He will play Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis in the opening round and a victory over the world No 53 could mean a second round clash with Wimbledon great Roger Federer.
Willis had to come through three matches at last week's pre-qualifying event just to earn his spot at Roehampton, where he claimed his first top-100 scalp by beating Japan's Yuichi Sugita,
He followed that up with a win over former French Open junior champion Andrey Rublev and then clinched his spot in the main draw on Friday with a 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 victory over Daniil Medvedev.
The young Russian, ranked 228, took the opening set but Londoner Willis hit back for the most significant win of his career.
The left-hander has never previously played a tour-level match and is now guaranteed to pocket at least £30,000 in prize money.
He said: "I am absolutely delighted to win today and to qualify for Wimbledon. It's a victory for everyone who had believed in me and stuck by me throughout.
"I can't wait to get to the practice courts at Wimbledon. It will be a special feeling, but I'm just going to keep my head down and rest up before next week"
He also received a message of congratulation from British No 1 Andy Murray, who wrote on Instagram: "Well done Marcus Willis aka Willbomb on qualifying for Wimbledon! Marcus had pretty much retired from tennis and only played one pro event this year and had been coaching until last week.
"Ranked 770 in the world he entered the pre-qualifying for Wimbledon and has just won six matches in a row to make it through to the main draw! Awesome feel good story for British Tennis! Well done Willbomb dreams do come true sometimes "
Willis' success took the number of British players in the main draw to 15, but there was disappointment earlier for Ed Corrie, whose hopes of a place at the All England Club were ended by defeat against France's Albano Olivetti.
