Bogdanovic Awarded Chance to Make Impact at Highest Level
Back to list >
Britain's Alex Bogdanovic has been given an opportunity to make an impact at the highest level after receiving one of four wild cards awarded by The Artois Championships on Thursday.
There were also wild cards given to former Wimbledon semifinalists Jonas Bjorkman and Xavier Malisse, and another British player, Josh Goodall. They join a star-studded field that includes the World No.2 Rafael Nadal, the Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, defending champion Andy Roddick, four-time winner Lleyton Hewitt and British No.1 Andy Murray. The tournament has one remaining wild card to award prior to the start of The Artois Championships, which takes place at the Queen's Club in London, 9-15 June.
Bogdanovic, 24, showed his potential at The Artois Championships last year when he pushed eventual champion Roddick all the way in the third round. He was two points from victory in the second set tie-break when Roddick made a successful appeal to the new Hawk-Eye technology over a line call. The American went on to take the tie-break and eventually came through 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
After the match, Roddick was rich in praise for the tennis played by Bogdanovic.
"If he can play close to that level consistently, Britain will have another top 40 player on their hands,” he said.
Bjorkman is a former World No.4 in singles and a winner of all four Grand Slam titles in doubles, while Malisse reached the 2002 Wimbledon semifinals in singles.
Goodall is the current British No.4. He has won two futures tournaments this year and reached the semifinals of a Challenger event in Mexico last month.