There’s a little more wildcard drama than usual at this year’s Family Circle Cup, since it’s been rumored that Maria Sharapova and/or defending champion Caroline Wozniacki might very well take that last spot if they get the call.
Matt Sodo from ESPN explained the confusion a couple of weeks ago in his perfectly titled article ‘Star Security Backfiring on WTA?’.
The long and short of it is that Wozniacki may or may not be eligible, according to Sodo. But it’s very probable that she is hungrier for rankings points now than she has been in over a year. Sharapova, too, could use every point she can earn in the event of a sputter by Azarenka this year. Bartoli just gave her hope as the future President de la Republique handed Azarenka her first loss of the year tonight.
According to FamilyCircleCup.com, 45 players are pictured in their Qualifying Player Field Gallery, meaning that there could be up to three more entrants. Their Main Draw Gallery shows 55 players or spots (with 1 Wild Card and the 12 Qualifiers place-held), leaving possibly one extra wild card.
We reached out to the Family Circle Cup, but haven’t heard a word from them as of this posting.
Tennis East Coast is on the story and will drop our mustard-sauced barbeque sandwich, a South Carolina delicacy, as soon as news breaks. Let me remind you that my family soup contains West Virginia, Western North Carolina, Tennessee and Louisiana ingredients. So this ancestral Southerner awaits with great anticipation both the wild card announcements and a chance to see the Best Tennis Town in the USA up close and personal during the region’s biggest tennis event of the year.
–S. Fogleman
Tennis Atlantic 
Return Serve?