WANBOROUGH’S Louise Hunt will help to make history at Wimbledon this summer after being handed a wildcard into the ladies’ wheelchair singles draw.

Wheelchair singles competitions will be contested for the first time this year at the All England Club, which hosts the Championships from June 27 to July 10, with London 2012 Paralympian Hunt included as part of the eight-strong ladies’ field.

With the top seven players in the ITF world rankings automatically qualifying, Hunt has been rewarded for her strong season with the final spot and a place in the quarter-finals.

“I feel like I am part of history. It’s really nice as the first year they add our singles in is the year that I get to play, so that is really exciting,” said Hunt, who is currently 12th in the world rankings.

“I’m very excited. I was really trying not to think about it because you never know if you are going to get it or not but I was over the moon when they told me.

“I applied for it and it was between myself and a Dutch girl (Diede De Groot) and when we applied I was ranked 11 and she was ranked nine, so it was so close.

“The top seven qualify outright, so I was so close to actually qualifying anyway but it was just going to be such a close call. Her ranking was closer but maybe because I am British that might have helped, I am not sure.

“I tried not to think about it too much because I didn’t want to be disappointed, so it was a really nice surprise.

“All I can say is that I have worked really hard and it feels like a nice reward. Everyone else is working just as hard as I am but I am just over the moon, especially as it’s singles this year too which is really exciting.”

Hunt made her debut at SW19 last summer in the ladies’ wheelchair doubles after being awarded a wildcard into the draw alongside German partner Katharina Kruger.

That competition started straight at the semi-final stage, where Hunt and Kruger were beaten 6-0, 6-3 by the eventual champions – Great Britain’s Jordanne Whiley and Yui Kamiji, of Japan.

The list for this year’s doubles competition has not yet been revealed, although Hunt could well earn another wildcard as she is currently ranked 11th in the world.