Tears, valiant efforts, a disappointing display and an inevitable defeat. All in a day's work for Britain's tennis players at Wimbledon yesterday as hope and belief turned to dejection and wounded pride.
The tears and disappointing display belonged to Anne Keothavong, whose rise up the rankings had raised expectations of a good run. The valiant efforts came from Katie O'Brien, Georgie Stoop and Josh Goodall, all of whom took higher-ranked opponents to a final set. And the inevitable defeat came from Dan Evans, who was unsurprisingly outclassed 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 by the Russian No12 seed, Nikolay Davydenko.
Having broken into the world's top 50 this year, Keothavong would have expected to beat Patricia Mayr, an Austrian ranked 80 who was appearing in her first Wimbledon. But it seems that her 6-0, 6-0 defeat by the world No1 Dinara Safina in the first round of the French Open last month affected her more than first thought.
After going up by an early break in the first set she completely lost her way and slipped to a 7-5, 6-2 defeat, before breaking down in the press conference.
"I feel like I've let myself down more than anything," Keothavong said. "Wimbledon is such a special tournament to me. This year, especially, I just felt ... I've overcome so much just to get where I am.
"I felt like I was on the way to winning that first set and was doing what I had to do, and then it all just kind of seemed to fall apart. There's no way around it. It's been disappointing. I have higher expectations for myself as well. I feel like I'm a better tennis player compared to where I was this time last year, but maybe that match in Paris actually dented my confidence more than I realised at the time."
Keothavong had been troubled by a shoulder problem in recent weeks and, although she said she only had herself to blame for the loss, she was determined to look forward. "Although right now it's really hard to look at all the positives, I've still got a lot to look forward to in the summer and have another bash at it."
Stoop, the world No185, resumed her match with the seventh seed Vera Zvonareva yesterday morning at one set apiece but eventually succumbed 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, a superb effort against a player who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year. In the end, Zvonareva's greater experience showed and one break, in the ninth game of the final set, was enough as the Russian served out for victory.
"I'm feeling pretty down," the 21-year-old said. "But on the other hand, that was a great experience for me today. I fought as hard as I possibly could and I thought I gave a really good performance. Obviously I'm a bit disappointed because obviously I would love to have won."
O'Brien looked on course for a shock win when she led Iveta Benesova, a Czech ranked 73 places above her at No35, 3-1 in the final set. But Benesova broke back immediately and then broke once more on her way to a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win.
The British men's No2 Goodall, who resumed at one set apiece with Michael Llodra, pushed the Frenchman hard before being beaten 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. "I was disappointed but I think in general I'm pretty proud of myself," he said. "I've improved massively, even in the last couple weeks since Queen's so I can take that match and obviously look at what I need to work on. I'm quite happy with the performance."
Evans, at 19 the youngest of the British men, had the toughest draw of all against Davydenko but acquitted himself well enough, even if it was rather one-sided. "On paper, it's horrible for me," he said. "He hits quite hard. It could have been a nasty first-round scoreline but I think I did well out there."
source: guardian.co
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