Stepanek, Nadal-conqueror Brown receive Wimbledon wild cards

Dustin Brown, conqueror of Rafael Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon last year, can look forward to a pay day of at least £30,000 ($42,500, 38,000 euros), after receiving one of the wildcards for this year’s tournament on Wednesday.

Dustin Brown, conqueror of Rafael Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon last year, can look forward to a pay day of at least £30,000 ($42,500, 38,000 euros), after receiving one of the wildcards for this year’s tournament on Wednesday.

Dustin Brown’s defeat of Nadal was only his third over a top-10 ranked player in his career. (AFP file photo)

The 31-year-old German -- whose defeat of Nadal was only his third over a top-10 ranked player in his career -- is presently ranked 120 in the world but reached his first ever ATP Tour semi-final this year in the Open Sud de France.

Others to receive wildcards for the Grand Slam event that gets under way on June 27 include 37-year-old Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, who gave British number one Andy Murray a real scare at the French Open last month before eventually losing in five sets in their first-round clash.

His best performance at Wimbledon came in 2006 when he reached the quarter-finals.

In the women’s draw, another veteran, Slovakia’s 33-year-old former world number five Daniela Hantuchova -- a quarter-finalist at the All England club in 2002 -- is among those who receives a wildcard.

Another six wildcards, three men and three women, will be announced at a later date.

The prize money for a first-round loser has gone up this year to £30,000 from £29,000.