Jamie Baker misery compounded by first round Queen’s exit
Wild card Jamie Baker was today bundled out of the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club, leaving the British No3 to endure yet more frustration in a career that would have tested the most resolute of spirits.
Baker was beaten 6-1, 6-4 in the first round in 45 one-sided minutes by 16th seed Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, who was never in trouble on a court that saw both players slipping and sliding.
For Baker, the result added to the disappointment of starting the week ranked 254th in the world, just missing out on his target of a place in the elite 250 heading towards Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old Glaswegian would have been safely inside that mark had it not been for a life-threatening illness and an ill-timed injury.
In April 2008 he spent three days in intensive care in Florida after contracting the rare virus Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, which resulted in bleeding, bruising and headaches.
A long lay-off saw Baker crash to 982 in the world.
Yet he was determined to fight back and was on the road towards the top 250 when he suffered yet another setback.
He said: "It's all been pretty brutal. The way I was playing I was sailing into the world's top 250 around March time, but then I tore my ligaments in my ankle.
"I missed six to eight weeks and it's only now that the injury is 100 per cent.
"Coming to Queen's I've played seven consecutive weeks. I've played two tournaments in America, one in Ecuador, another two in America, one in Italy, and then back to California, then here.
"It was just so disappointing to lose today. It was tough stepping up to that level of player. Unfortunately for me the result was not really a fair reflection of how I have been playing."
Also in the first round, Jesse Levine of the United States overcame another wild card entry, fellow countryman Ryan Harrison, 6-3, 6-3.
Israel's Dudi Sela, the 14th seed, battled back from a set down to win 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 over Chris Guccione.
If the forecasted rain held off this evening, Andy and Jamie Murray were opening their doubles challenge against Scott Lipsky and Sam Querrey of the United States.
