Tennis
Kohlschreiber beats Baker
2012-07-03 17:15
Philipp Kohlschreiber (Gallo Images)
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London - Philipp Kohlschreiber made it into the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time, ending US qualifier Brian Baker's fairytale run in a straight sets win at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
The German 27th seed won 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in an hour and 55 minutes on Court 12 and now faces either French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or US 10th seed Mardy Fish in the last eight.
Baker lost six years of his career after five different operations on a hernia, then his left and right hips and finally his right elbow.
He eventually felt ready to return to tennis in July 2011 and the 27-year-old has enjoyed a remarkably successful time back on the circuit.
Baker started the year ranked 458 but the world number 126 will break into the top 100 after his Wimbledon run, with the American likely to enter at around 77.
Kohlschreiber goes fourth on the list of the most Grand Slams played before reaching the last eight, having got there on the 33rd attempt.
Fabrice Santoro holds the unenviable record at 54, followed by Australian doubles duo Mark Woodforde on 38 and Todd Woodbridge on 34.
The German made it into the last eight thanks to some 23 aces and superb net play.
Kohlschreiber was 3-1 up in the first set when the players went off for a rain break.
Despite the disruption, Kohlschreiber dominated the first set, his better serving and more winners making the difference.
Baker seemed unhappy with the slipperiness on court, but Moroccan umpire Mohamed El Jennati came down and felt the surface with his hand at the end of the set and decided to carry on.
The American was a different prospect in the second set and took it to a tie-break, in which he was narrowly edged out by the German.
Kohlschreiber slipped on his first match point and then it was Baker's turn to take a tumble, handing the German his second match point.
The 28-year-old won it with an ace.