For two weeks thoughts and hearts of all true tennis fans have been focused on Wimbledon - a contest that stands alone even in the company of equally significant tournaments of the Grand Slam

By Sergey Danilov, UT

Today Denis Istomin and Akgul Amanmuradova successfully replaced their predecessors on the world tennis arena whose names appear among the participants of Wimbledon 2009. And both came to the prestigious competitions in an excellent mood.

Istomin, who is undoubtedly having best season in his career, has already played in two tournaments of the Grand Slam this year - the Australia Open and the French Open. In both Denis successfully passed the first round, which is an evidence of great skill. Then he had faced really strong players – the French Richard Gasquet in Melbourne and the Swede Robin Soderling at the Roland Garros. Each of them at that time - an interesting coincidence - was 25th in the world ranking. And both had some trouble against Istomin. Soderling actually was a bit lucky and won with a minimum advantage - 6 / 4, 7 / 6 (4), 6 / 4. But after Istomin he beat Rafael Nadal himself, who was aiming at winning his record, fifth successive title in Paris, and became the sensation of the tournament after reaching the final.

After clay Istomin perfectly adapted to the English grass. First, he finally beat the Czech Ivo Minar at the Queen’s Club courts in London, whom he had faced twice this year - in Naples and Barletta, Italy. Then he passed two rounds in Eastbourne, after beating opponents of the top hundred - American Kevin Kim (86) and Sam Querrey (46). He played pretty well against the tournament’s second seeded Russian Dmitry Tursunov (27) - 6/7(6), 4/6. The 45 points gained by Dennis in Eastbourne lifted him to the 71st spot of the world ranking, a record for Uzbekistan men’s tennis, which has almost leveled him with his first Wimbledon opponent Italian Fabio Fognini (66).

Amanmuradova can be proud of herself as well: last week the Uzbek player won her first WTA title in Eastbourne. However, she won it in the doubles competition. But this does not take away anything from the success, and as for the rank, Akgul now is the world’s 46th in the doubles ranking. At Wimbledon she will perform in both disciplines. And it is impossible to ignore the fact that one of the best tennis players in doubles - Japanese Ai Sugiyama, who will celebrate the 34th birthday in the last day of Wimbledon – invited the Tashkent player to be her partner. Amanmuradova celebrated her 25th birthday on Tuesday, and she made an excellent gift to herself.

Once the Uzbek-Japanese duo won over Australian Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs in the final, the sportswomen might have remembered their first game together against Spanish-Argentine duo Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez - Gisela Dulko, which ended by a tiebreak in the third set, where girls won with a minimal advantage (10-8). But from match to match the players improved their team play. And in the final they were stronger than the fourth seeded Australian duo – 6/4, 6/3.

Unfortunately Wimbledon has started poorly for Uzbek players. Istomin won the first two sets against Fognini, but stretched his back muscles in the third, which forced him to forfeit the competitions - 6 / 1, 7 / 6 (3), 3 / 6, 1 / 3. And Amanmuradova, who had her second Wimbledon appearance lost to Parmentier - 4/6, 6/1, 3/6. However, no matter how distressing these fails were, Uzbekistan fans can be sure that tennis is growing strong in the country.

26.06.2009

By the material from the "Uzbekistan Today" Information agency