Goffin Upsets Tomic; Fish Returns To Action

Written by: Staff on 26th June 2012

Goffin Upsets Tomic; Fish Returns To Action

epa03247664 David Goffin of Belgium reacts during his round of 16 match against Roger Federer of Switzerland for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2012. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA |

(Original Story: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/26/Wimbledon-Tuesday-Fish-Returns-Goffin-Beats-Tomic.aspx)

World No. 12 Mardy Fish made a welcome return to action on Tuesday at Wimbledon as he defeated Spain’s Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 7-6(3), 7-5, 7-6(1) in the first round of The Championships. The American fired 24 aces and struck 61 winners as he claimed victory over his No. 82-ranked opponent in two hours and 37 minutes.

The 30-year-old Fish was playing his first competitive match since a second-round exit to Michael Russell in Houston in April. He underwent a medical procedure to correct a problem with his heart on 23 May.

Fish achieved his best result at Wimbledon last year when he reached the quarter-finals, falling in four sets to Rafael Nadal. He goes onto face either British wild card James Ward or Spain’s Pablo Andujar.

In contest between two rising talents on the ATP World Tour, Belgium’s David Goffin upset No. 20 seed and last year’s quarter-finalist Bernard Tomic, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The 21-year-old Goffin made his breakthrough a month ago with a run to the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he stretched Roger Federer to four sets.

“It was a good performance,” reflected Goffin. “It wasn’t good start, but I was feeling good. I lost the first set, but I was feeling good and then continued to keep focus in my game. Game after game it was better, and then I played a really, really good game. I served very well during all the match, and I was more aggressive after the first set.”

Goffin next will meet American Jesse Levine, who battled past Slovakia’s Karol Beck 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2.

World No. 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov made a strong start to his campaign, striking 23 aces as he beat Russia’s Alex Bogomolov Jr., 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 50 minutes. The Ukrainian snapped a three-match losing streak, dating back to a quarter-final loss to Juan Martin del Potro in Madrid. He will meet France’s Benoit Paire, who defeated Australian Matt Ebden 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes.

Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen found a return to form as he defeated Spanish No. 14 seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. The 30 year old had only won one of his past six matches coming into The Championships, but withstood 28 aces as he ousted three-time quarter-finalist Lopez in just under three hours.

World No. 44 Nieminen reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2006 (l. to Nadal). He will look to reach the third round when he faces American qualifier Brian Baker. The No. 126-ranked Baker, playing at the All England Club for the first time since a junior appearance in 2003, finished strongly to beat Portugal’s Rui Machado 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-0.

“I’m excited for sure to get to the second round,” said Baker. “It’s my first [senior] Wimbledon, and I thought we both started kind of slow, just sort of felt our way out. I was fortunate to play a decent breaker and get through that, and then I felt like I loosened up a bit. Started getting in more of his return games, was able to step up and put a little more pressure on his serve. That obviously allowed me to win the way I did the last two sets.”

Topics: Alex Bogomolov Jr, David Goffin, Feliciano Lopez, Mardy Fish, Sports, Tennis News, Wimbledon