'I'VE CHANGED THREE TIMES': WIMBLEDON LUCKY LOSER FORCED INTO MAKESHIFT APARTMENT PLANS

Solana Sierra turns to her box in disbelief after producing a memorable upset. (Getty/Jordan Pettitt)

Often, Grand Slam tournaments tend to produce a feel-good Lucky Loser story.

Germany's Eva Lys was the most recent beneficiary of the system to earn a place in the 2025 Australian Open main draw, where she crushed Aussie Kimberly Birrell's dream in the first-round before booking a fourth-round date with Iga Świątek.

Solana Sierra, ranked No.101 in the world, is the latest name to stun with her story.

The 21-year-old Argentinian, who was seeded 10th in Wimbledon qualifying, smashed her racquet in anger after coming off worse in a two-hour and 14-minute marathon third set against Talia Gibson with a main draw berth on the line, having failed to convert a 5-3 lead with match point.

Yet, as so many players do, she stuck around the All England Club in the desperate hope of receiving a late call-up at the expense of a player already guaranteed in the main draw, and it paid off.

Overnight, Sierra pulled off the unthinkable from a set down to defeat British hope Katie Boulter 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1 to reach round three.

Her run has been so unexpected to the point where she's had to scramble for apartment bookings.

"I might book my room for three or four days more," Sierra told reporters. "It's been crazy. I've changed it three times."

Before earning the last-minute sign-up, Sierra practiced with another Lucky Loser, Victoria Mboko, who is also still alive in the main draw.

Having never won a tour-level match on grass before her first-round victory over Australia's Olivia Gadecki, Sierra is taking it all in her stride.

"It's a bit crazy, because I was already out of the tournament, and I had luck with the Lucky Loser. But yeah, I'm super happy. I took the opportunity," she said.

"It was like 15 minutes before. Yeah, I didn't have too much time. I just changed. We took five minutes, and then I entered the court. But it was good because I didn't think too much."

Last year's semi-finalist Donna Vekić has blown Sierra's section of the draw wide open as she bowed out in the second-round to the unseeded Cristina Bucşa.

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