Djokovic left frustrated as play is abandoned at rain-hit Eastbourne
Novakdjokovic’spreparations for Wimbledon were undermined yesterday when heavy raincausedplayateastbourne to be cancelled.
The Serb, 30, had chosen to compete there for the first time in his pursuit of some momentum and confidence ahead of the coming Grand Slam, but was left frustrated almost as soon as his firstround match began. He took the opening game against Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and was leading 30-15 in the second when the rain started. Play was then repeatedly postponed until, at 5pm, attempts to resume were abandoned until 10.30am today.
Rain also washed out the all-britishshowdownbetween Marcus Willis and Liam Broady in the Wimbledon qualifiers.
Willis, 26, who faced Roger Federer on Centre Court in the second round at the All England Club last year, was due to face compatriot and friend Broady in the penultimate qualifying round at Roehampton. But play was suspended at around 1pm as the heavens opened in south-west London.
Broady, 23, is also looking for
0 Novak Djokovic: Leading. a return to Wimbledon having been beaten by Andy Murray in the first round last year.
Willis is currently the British No 9 and ranked 374 in the world, ten places higher than Broady, the national No 10.
The homegrown pair will have to try again today, with the winner then facing either Illya Marchenko of Ukraine or German veteran Benjamin Becker for a place in the main draw.
Of the Brits who did manage to play yesterday morning 18-year-old Katie Swan, of Bristol, was beaten 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 by Uzbekistan’s Nigina Abduraimova. Hong Kong-born Tara Moore, 24, also tumbled out 7-5, 6-2 to American Irina Falconi while Katy Dunne was forced off at 2-2 in the first set against Serbia’s Ivana Jorovic.
Meanwhile, top seed Dominic Thiem was stunned by qualifier Ramkumar Ramanath- an in the second round of the Antalya Open in Turkey.
Ramanathan is ranked more than 200 places lower than world No 8 Thiem but was a convincing 6-3, 6-2 winner.
In the quarter-finals, the Indian will face Marcos Baghdatis, who beat Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Third seed Fernando Verdasco was a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Steve Darcis but eighth seed Martin Klizan retired at 6-6 in the opening set of his firstround clash with Marsel Ilhan.
Germany’s Daniel Altmaier claimed the first ATP Tour win of his career with a 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5) victory over Victor Estrella Burgos. The World Anti-doping Agency has partly restored drug-testing duties to the Russian anti-doping agency.
Rusada was suspended in 2015 when its staff were accused of helping to cover up drug use, but will now have wide-ranging authority over testing.
After intense negotiations and sweeping personnel changes at the Russian agency, Wada said it has now allowed Rusada to “plan and coordinate” drug testing under the supervision of Britishagencyukad,which has overseen testing in Russia during the national anti-doping body’s suspension.
“Resumption of testing represents an important step forward in rebuilding anti-doping in Russia,” Wada president Craig Reedie said.
“We strongly encourage Russia to continue their efforts in the interest of clean athletes worldwide.”
Rusada will have free rein to choose which athletes to test, even if Ukad disagrees with its choice, and employees will now be allowed to collect samples from athletes. Previously, Ukad oversaw testing and hired private firms to collect the samples.
“Ukad will continue to be involved in the training and development of Rusada,” said Wada spokeswoman Maggie Durand. “Ukad does not have the authority to overrule Rusada testing plans.”
Two Wada appointees attached to Rusada since last year will monitor the testing, Durand added.
Samples will have to be sent to laboratories abroad. Russia’s only drug-testing laboratory remains suspended after its former director said he switched dirty samples for clean ones to cover up doping.
Wada said it allowed Rusada to resume testing after Russia fulfilled some conditions, including releasing some blood samples from the suspended lab and providing guarantees that drug testers would be allowed in “closed cities” where many Russian athletes train in military units.