Slovakian No. 5 seed and 2006 finalist Lukas Lacko defeated unseeded Jamie Baker from Great Britain 6-4, 7-5. This proved to be another hard-hitting battle, with Lacko proving the slightly more consistent player in the end. Baker repeatedly hit flat, down-the-line forehands with remarkable pace. Lacko proved that he was up to the task in sending most of these shots back in the same manner.
I don't know reason but I know he has been nursing knee injury since Nottingham and more recently an arm or wrist problem but of course it could be something completely different.
Such a shame just when his luck with draws seemed to have changed, but I though it was signicant that he didn't enter doubles with Ken as originally planned, but thought that maybe he was just playing safe.
Just to make it even more disappointing I see that the next opponent would have been another 'Q' who beat the 3rd seed.
I think it's some injury that has been causing him some trouble for a while and not something sudden. That would explain why he isn't playing doubles, especially since Skupski is here.
Well it wasn't his knee or arm it was his back, apparently Richard had strained it just before going to USA, he had some physio work before the match and decided to 'give it a go' but soon discovered it was too big a problem and had to retire. Let's hope it is just a strain and nothing more, at least it will give his knee a rest!
Thursday At last Skupski/Evans doubles match is scheduled!
from Wednesday report - one of the most bizarre moments of the tournament occurred during a doubles match between the No. 4 seeded team of Carsten Ball and Travis Rettenmaier vs. the unseeded youngsters Gastao Elias and Uladzimir Ignatik. On match point for Ball and Rettenmaier, Ball was struck in the side by an overhead from the other team, but the ball bounced back over on the other side of the net. While it was initially unclear what had happened, the point was played out, with Ball/Rettenmaier winning it. In the confusion, the two teams decided to spin a racquet to see whether they would play a let or allow Ball/Rettenmaier to take the victory. Ball/Rettenmaier won the spin and the match. Apparently, Jesse Witten was not the only player relying on luck today.