Bogdanovic Wins All-British Clash; Sets Up Roddick Date

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Alex Bogdanovic booked himself a third round meeting with three-time Artois winner Andy Roddick after defeating fellow British wild card Jamie Baker in a closely fought contest on Wednesday.

Bogdanovic was a set and a break down against Baker before winning 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in 2 hours, 21 minutes, reaching the last 16 at The Queen’s Club for the first time in his career.

“I'm just happy to get through the match,” said Bogdanovic. “I feel like he played a great match, and I think he was better throughout the whole match, to tell you the truth. It kind of felt like after I won the second set, that was the turning point.”

Although the two practice together at their training base in Saddlebrook, Florida, they were playing against each other for the first time on the ATP circuit, and it was Bogdanovic who made the initial breakthrough, leading 4-2 in the opening set.

However, Baker hit back, breaking twice in a run of four consecutive games to close out the set, and the 20-year-old from Glasgow, who defeated Alexander Peya in the first round, looked to be on track for another victory as he broke Bogdanovic to lead 4-3 in the second.

Just as Baker had done in the first set, Bogdanovic hit back this time. He took a 5-4 lead and had two set points on Baker’s serve, but the Scot saved both – the second with one of three aces in the game – and eventually forced a tie-break.

It was Bogdanovic who controlled the tie-break, opening up a 4-1 lead and maintaining his advantage throughout to take it 7-4 and force a deciding set.

Full of confidence, the 23-year-old Bogdanovic, who is currently ranked No. 117, finished the match in style, winning the last four games from 3-2 down and losing only three of the last 19 points to wrap up his victory.

Looking ahead to his third round with Roddick, Bogdanovic said: “I'm going to have to raise my game quite a lot tomorrow. Obviously, Andy Roddick, I'm looking forward to it. I had a lot of pressure going into this match because I wanted to win, give myself a chance against Andy. I know Andy pretty well. We practiced a few times in Tampa, Saddlebrook. He's a great player, a great guy. I'm really looking forward to it.”

A disappointed Baker said: “Towards the end of that second set, I think a key thing was that my first serve dried up and he started making a lot more. I was able to really get onto his second serve and come in sometimes and really dictate the points. Also when I got my first serves in, I was able to do that as well. When that reversed, I had a bit of a problem.

“The most disappointing thing is the actual performance, how it panned out. I still feel that the flashes of play that I put together today, if I'm able to do that on even just one occasion, if I'm able to do that a little, that means I can keep doing it even more and even more and even more.”