The Wimbledon committee today announced the first in a batch of Wimbledon wild card winners for the 2015 Championships. Lleyton Hewitt, the 2001 winner, will lead a field of plucky competitors which also contains James Ward and Nicolas Mahut.

As is customary with every tournament, a host of home-grown players have all been granted the chance to show off their skills to an expecting British crowd. The British men awarded a wild card are Kyle Edmund (WR 101), Liam Broady (WR 176) and James Ward (WR 108), fresh from his battling defeat at Queen's. It will be the fifth time that Ward will enter the main draw as the result of a wild card, and he will be hoping to gain only his second win. At the 2012 Championships, he surprisingly defeated the Spaniard Pablo Andujar, before falling to Mardy Fish in the second round.

Meanwhile, it will be the second year in succession for the British number three, Edmund, who has impressed in his first full year on the ATP tour. Having withdrawn from the French Open due to injury, Edmund will be hoping to replicate his victory at the French Open where he won through to the second round. In last year's Championships, the youngster lost in his second Grand Slam main draw to Andreas Haider Maurer.

Liam Broady, whose sister, Naomi, has also been granted a wild card, will play in his first ever main draw at any Grand Slam.

Broady (left) lost to Wozniacki in last year's competition.

His sister, meanwhile, will be hoping to build upon a solid start to the grass court season, as she hopes to replicate her maiden Grand Slam victory from last year. Broady defeated Timea Babos of Hungary before losing to former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki, in round two.

She will be joined by Jo Konta, the Australian born Brit has never won a match at the Championships, but like Broady, has already enjoyed a solid start to the grass court season.

The Brits will be joined by the talented Anett Kontaveit of Estonia and Jelena Ostapenko. Kontaveit, who played in last year's first round and who reached the final of the US Open juniors, tweeted her thanks to the committee. 'Sincerest thanks to the committee @wimbledon for the wildcard. I'll be doing my best, Anett,' she said on her official feed (@Kontaveit).

In the doubles, there is some great news for British hopes, as former champion Jonathan Marray will once again meet up with his champion partner, Freddie Nieslen. The pair, who have barely played since their maiden Grand Slam win, will hope to once again go all the way as a wild card pairing.

For a full list of wild card nominess, check out the Wimbledon website.

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Jack Haugh
Freelance sports writer, specialising in tennis.