Rodionova a rare ray of light on dark day
TENNIS: Australian tennis is assessing the wreckage of one of its most barren Wimbledon campaigns in almost 80 years.
For the first time since 2012, and only the second time since 1938, Wimbledon’s third-most successful nation will not have a man into the second round of the singles.
The departures of Bernard Tomic, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Jordan Thompson yesterday followed those of Nick Kygrios, Andrew Whittington and John Millman on day one.
It was almost a similar story on the women’s side with only Arina Rodionova reaching the round of 64 and that was after saving seven match points.
If not for Russian-born Rodionova this would have been the bleakest Australian result in the professional era.
Rodionova ambushed friend and 16th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 9-7 as 20th seed Daria Gavrilova crumbled 6-4 2-6 10-8 to Croatian qualifier Petra Martic.
The Victorian confessed anxiety wrecked her chances.
“I think I can’t really cope with the grand slam pressure,” Gavrilova said.
Ashleigh Barty fought bravely in a tight encounter with world No.5 Elina Svitolina before departing 7-5 7-6 (10-8).
And while Kokkinakis, Millman, Whittington and Thompson fought as Kyrgios retired with hip problems, Tomic found himself in hot water after admitting he feigned injury and was bored throughout a limp 6-4 6-3 6-4 loss to German 27th seed Mischa Zverev.
Thompson could not repeat his epic Queen’s Club win over world No.1 Andy Murray, slipping to a 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7-4) loss to Spanish 25th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas. And Kokkinakis lost in a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to Juan Martin del Potro.