Five hours after he had been incompetent to keep his feet in the second majority illustrious grass-court contest in the world, Jamie Baker was invited to participate in the some-more distinguished cousin opposite the river.
Wimbledon released five of the eight wild cards in to the mens singles yesterday and usually one, the 23-year-old, is from home stock.
While Laura Robson, Heather Watson, Katie OBrien and Mel South can rest easy that a healthier paint in the womens diversion has been recognized by the committee that includes Tim Henman, the four-times Wimbledon semi-finalist, it has reacted with alarm, adjacent on derision, at the benefaction state of mens tennis after such confounding investment in it over the past 4 years.
Baker, ranked No 254 when the new ATP list was released yesterday, is 4 places outward the cut-off of 250 that the LTA pronounced should be the barometer by that entrance in to the majority prestigious eventuality in the competition is judged. Wimbledon has obviously taken empathize on Baker, who has been hampered in the past two years by a critical red blood commotion and an ankle vinculum that he ripped in use for the Davis Cup tie afar to Lithuania in March, when he was tagged for a place in the team. Otherwise, because have a cut-off at all?
One can usually suspect that the All England Club had the fate drawn and the television off when it met and did not get a see at Baker in movement yesterday, for his 6-1, 6-4 better by Denis Istomin, of Uzbekistan, in the first turn of the AEGON Championships at Queens Club, West London, was not his excellent hour and eight minutes. This is a really great finish to a assuage day, was his deliberate perspective as he left the drift last night.
It is dual years given Baker stepped on to a weed justice and the actuality that the event gave him a centre justice billing did zero to solve him in to the match. Istomin has a 182-place ranking value and he was discerning to seize on Bakers blow and occasional theatrical representation of Bambi on ice. It was not a satisfactory thoughtfulness of how I have been playing, the Glaswegian said. To get in to a on all sides where I can levy what I do well takes a bit of time.
With Bakers departure, the rod was handed to James Ward, the universe No 344 and British No 7, an additional customer of a wild label in to Queens, nonetheless he usually has one in to subordinate for Wimbledon. A studious if resigned first-day throng got some-more of the moneys value from the honest Londoner who had Robby Ginepri, the American, disorder when he led 4-2 in the second set, but rught away forsaken his offer when a hold some-more restraint could have worked wonders and lost 6-3, 7-5.
Alex Bogdanovic, the British No 2, was heading Grigor Dimitrov, of Bulgaria, 2-1 in the third set when a solid drizzle forced an early desertion of play. Bogdanovic, carrying lost in eight uninterrupted first-round matches at Wimbledon after eight wild-card invitations, will have to validate this time around. There were a little enlivening flashes of his form opposite a 19-year-old whose offer and backhand are eerily suggestive of Roger Federer, whom a series of distinguished judges believe, in time, he has an opportunity to stick on at the tip of the game.
Bogdanovic has pronounced he does not wish to fool around for Great Britain in subsequent months Davis Cup tie opposite Turkey. Leon Smith creates his captaincy entrance in Eastbourne and nonetheless Greg Rusedski, carrying been sounded out to reinstate John Lloyd as captain prior to the disturbance opposite Lithuania, pronounced on television yesterday that it was Andy Murrays involvement that cost him his event and privileged the trail for Smith, that is not the approach the British No 1 sees it. One is led to hold Murray permitted the talents of Iain Hughes, a youth coach, prior to Smith was enthroned.
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