Bad boy Brit lands £35k Wimbledon wildcard
...NOW HE CAN PAY OFF HIS FINE FROM LAST WEEK!
THE decision to award Brydan Klein a wildcard for Wimbledon has led to some disapproval after the British No 5’ s badtempered behaviour in Nottingham last week.
Australia- born Klein, who switched allegiance to Great Britain in 2013, was punished by umpire Mohamed Lahyani for ball abuse, unsportsmanlike conduct towards a lineswoman and for shouting: ‘You stupid, stupid person.’
It cost him the match against Sam Groth at the Aegon Open in Nottingham and Klein, 27, was subsequently fined £3,500 by the ATP. Sportsmail has been told Klein’s complaints included him allegedly asking Lahyani: ‘Why do we have a 60-year-old lineswoman with glasses on the line?’
Sportsmail understands there are some murmurs of disapproval within British tennis at the All England Club’s decision to give Klein a place in the main draw at Wimbledon for the men’s singles and doubles, with British partner Joe Salisbury. He will be guaranteed at least £40,375 in prize money.
Klein, who is ranked 228 in the world, tweeted yesterday: ‘I would like to thank Wimbledon for having faith in me and awarding me a singles and doubles main draw WC.’
This is not the first time that Klein has been in trouble with the ATP. In 2009 he accepted a six-month suspension for racially abusing South African Raven Klaasen at Eastbourne.
He was alleged to have verbally abused Klaasen and spat at his coach and another player.
In Nottingham lastt week, Klein firstst received a warning for ball abuse and was then given a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after disputing a lineswoman’s call.
At 6-3, 5-4 down, he lost the match after received a game penalty for shouting ‘stupid, stupid person’ after netting a return. Klein insisted he was shouting at himself. Lahyani disagreed and said: ‘It’s a lack of respect. You don’t talk to anyone like that.’
Less controversial men’s wildcards went to James Ward, who was rewarded for his stalwart Davis Cup service, and 21-yearold fellow Brit Cameron Norrie.
Heather Watson, Laura Robson, Naomi Broady and Katie Boulter are the British women who will earn a minimum £335,000 for playing in the first round of the ladies’ singles draw. The bottom line, however, is that there remains a terrible paucity of British players getting in without assistance.
Only Jo Konta makes the women’s event automatically, while there are questions about whether the injured Dan Evans and Slovenia-raised Aljaz Bedene will take up their places alongside Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund.
There are some startling figures attached to the awarding of wildcards across the main, six-week grass court season.
Robson has now had seven privileged main draw entries by the age of 23, worth a minimum £124,250 in singles alone. However, she started early and has had injuries to contend with.
Norrie has now received four main draw wildcards in as many weeks, which will be worth a minimum £49,500.
Born to a Scottish father and Welsh mother and largely raised in New Zealand, he had an outstanding college career in America and is one to watch.
Marcus Willis, whose run to the second round last year captured the imagination, was awarded a wildcard into qualifying at Roehampton next week.
Meanwhile in Birmingham, British No 2 Broady lost 6-2, 6-2 to two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
‘Petra is one of the best grasscourt players,’ she said. ‘She makes you feel so uncomfortable on court.’