Defending champion Tatjana Maria says she deserved more respect after Queen's wildcard snub

[p]The German, then 37, won the title ‌last year when the women's tour returned to the venue after a 52-year ‌absence. She was the oldest winner of a WTA 500 ‌tournament.[/p][p]But she had to come through the qualifying tournament this year ‌after not receiving one of the four wildcards, all of ‌which were handed to lower-ranked British players.[/p][p]"[b]It feels almost like a normal tournament because I had to start over again in qualifying[/b]," [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maria-tatjana/OGYNaUZG/"]Maria[/a], who ‌was made an honorary life member at the ⁠London club after her ‌title run last year, told BBC Sport.[/p][p]"[b]Already what I did last year ​was amazing and to be a champion here, I thought I deserved a wildcard and to get a little ​bit of respect[/b]."[/p][p]Wildcards, awarded at organisers' discretion to players whose ranking does not merit main-draw entry, are often reserved for ⁠home players.[/p][p]"[b]I did it ​last year. It was not five years ago[/b]," said the world number 52, who is facing Greece's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sakkari-maria/KjsokFUj/"]Maria Sakkari[/a] in the first round on Tuesday.[/p][p]"[b]I was surprised when I got the message of (tournament ‌director) [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robson-laura/vgjzXLam/"]Laura Robson[/a] saying all the wildcards would go to the British players, which I understand. But as a champion, it's tough for me. It is something that should be normal. If you are champion of an event and you don't get in the year after, I think automatically this should be considered[/b]."[/p][p]The wildcards went to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boulter-katie/0SeXj3jT/"]Katie Boulter[/a] (ranked 73rd), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-francesca/OU6w8nNa/"]Fran Jones[/a] (98th), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dart-harriet/h6Lq4OGA/"]Harriet Dart[/a] (160th), and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stojsavljevic-mika/YyyT3fOe/"]Mika Stojsavljevic[/a] (261st).[/p][p]A spokesperson for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) said: "The ‌LTA owns and invests in staging these events for the ​benefit of the British game as a whole -- so fans ‌can see world-class international players from around the world, and support our British players, but also so British players are afforded the playing opportunities to progress their careers and climb the rankings.[/p][p]"We have seen British success at these ⁠events, and breakthrough wins, so ⁠there is clear value ‌in giving British players these development opportunities."[/p]