Alex: I can step up
ALEX Bogdanovic was this week looking at the bigger picture after bowing out of Wimbledon in straight sets to the big-serving Australian Chris Guccione on Tuesday night. The Globe left-hander, who went into the first round match on
By Pat Mooney
ALEX Bogdanovic was this week looking at the bigger picture after bowing out of Wimbledon in straight sets to the big-serving Australian Chris Guccione on Tuesday night.
The Globe left-hander, who went into the first round match on a career-high ranking of 108, lost 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Court 18 to the world No 96.
Bogdanovic, who was also without his regular coach Swede Peter Lundgren - he has been given leave of absence for "personal reasons" by the LTA - is determined to step up from Challenger level to the ATP Tour and crack the world's top 100.
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"That is my goal," Bogdanovic told Wood&Vale Sport. "You're going to be playing these guys week in, week out when you are in the top 100 - you just have to get used to it. My game has improved a lot this year and I have come a long way."
Boggo, playing in his sixth Wimbledon as a wildcard, lost the first set 7-2 in the tie-break.
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He had several break points in both the second and third sets but failed to take any.
Fellow leftie Guccione, who was making his Wimbledon debut, used his big serve - several were timed at 136mph - to get himself out of trouble.
"His serve was really big - that was the key," admitted Bogdanovic, who first played the game under Peter Neathey at South Hampstead TC.
"Every time his first serve was over 130mph and I could not get it back.
"But I believe I can learn a lot from matches like this. In big matches you have to play your best tennis on big points and I'm working towards that."
Meanwhile, Anne Koethavong's Wimbledon lasted just 55 minutes when she was beaten 6-2, 6-0 by the world No 3 Jelena Jankovic, also on Tuesday.
Cumberland's Keothavong, who lost her British No 1 ranking to Katie O'Brien on Monday, suffered six breaks of serve during the match as the Serbian served notice she will be a real threat to the favourites for the title.
It was Keothavong's seventh consecutive appearance at SW19. She reached the second round in 2004 before losing to the eventual winner Maria Sharapova.
pat.mooney@hamhigh.co.uk
