Back to earth with a bump

Chief Sports Writer

Sunday 1 July 2012

THE problem with being an overnight sensation is that one can quickly become yesterday's news.

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Hugh MacDonald

Lukas Rosol yesterday signed autographs after his match against Phillip Kohlschreiber out on court 12. His opponent quietly skipped over a fence and made his way to the locker room.

Rosol, who vanquished Rafael Nadal under the roof Centre Court on Thursday, was roared on to the court, received an ovation and at the end and was besieged by fans. It is almost rude to point out that he was cuffed by Kohlschreiber, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

This was the real world for the 26-year-old Czech. The special atmosphere of a becalmed Centre Court under the roof was replaced by a date outdoors in a swirling wind. Rosol did not handle the conditions and played to his ranking, 100th in the world. Kohlschreiber played to his, 30th in the world. The result was therefore inevitable. The German, serving beautifully, was never under pressure and only faltered on two match points before claiming a third. Rosol thus heads to a Challenger event in Germany while Kohlschreiber prepares to meet Brian Baker, the American who seems to be using Wimbledon as a real-life version of the most outrageous Hollywood script. Baker, 27, has endured three rounds of hip surgery, plus hip reconstruction and operations on a hernia and an elbow. The player from Nashville did not hold a world ranking from November 2008 to July last year. He had been studying business and finance and coaching tennis at Belmont University. He then decided to play a Challenger event last year, won it and played his first Grand Slam event at the French Open last month.Yesterday he defeated Benoit Paire of France 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. Baker's experience on grass is somewhat limited. "There's actually two grass courts at the club where I grew up at back in Nashville," he said. "I think I played once like 'hit and giggle' tennis on that. I also played kind of a pro-am doubles tournament up in the Hamptons with a buddy from Nashville on grass."The experience at the home of lawn tennis has therefore been suitably dramatic. "It's been unreal," said Baker. "When I'm on the court I know I definitely have nerves. I missed a few shots at the end that I probably wouldn't miss if it was the quarters of a Challenger and not trying to get to the round of 16 at Wimbledon. It is kind of crazy kind what's going on. But I'm still trying to stay focused on the task at hand. This is awesome."That description applies to Juan Martin del Potro who steamrollered Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6, 6-1. The Tower of Tandil thus equalled his best Wimbledon result by reaching the last 16. He is the only player outside of Novak Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer to have won a slam in the last 29 majors. He poses a genuine threat now is a side of a draw that has been weakened by Nadal's departure but knows he has to improve before he can reprise his success at the 2009 US Open.Mardy Fish, playing in his first tournament since undergoing a medical procedure to correct a problem with his heart, seeing off David Goffin of Belgium 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (8-6). It was similarly straightforward for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France who defeated Slovakia's Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.Marin Cilic also progressed, the Croat beating American Sam Querrey 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-7 (3-7), 17-15, after a marathon five hours and 31 minutes.

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