There will be no British qualifier in the main draw at Wimbledon for the second year in a row, after Liam Broady and Samantha Murray lost tight encounters in Roehampton.
British No 8 Broady was two sets up against Gregoire Barrere from France, but eventually succumbed to a 3-6, 0-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 defeat in 2 hours and 35 minutes.
After storming through the first two sets with some aggressive shot-making, Broady had break points at 2-1 in the third set but could not convert. And after the 25-year-old was broken in the next game, 12th seed Barrere raised his level and pulled away.
Broady said afterwards: “On that break point, I tried to take on a second serve and missed it wide, and that’s the mistake which has cost me the main draw of Wimbledon.
“To miss a second serve return is a cardinal sin, particularly at that stage of the match, and I’ve paid the price. I think if I could have broken him there, he was wobbling and would’ve gone.
Despite the obvious disappointment, the 25-year-old was upbeat post-match, following a week in which he beat two players above him in the rankings.
He will still play at the All England Club next week – he’s been given a wildcard to play with compatriot Scott Clayton in the men’s doubles – and even admitted he hadn’t looked at the prize money on offer for this week’s exploits.
“I don’t even know what the first round prize money is this year. Don’t tell me!
“I’m really proud of myself. If you said to me after losing in the first round of Ilkley [Challenger event] last week, you’re going to lose in five sets in the last round of qualifying, I’d have signed up straight away on the dotted line.”
Meanwhile for Murray, who won five matches in a row to reach this stage after coming through pre-qualifying last week, it was also deciding set heartbreak, as 22nd seed Paula Badosa from Spain prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
A first set which ebbed and flowed was won by Badosa with a crucial break at 5-4, yet Murray stormed back to take the second convincingly.
But the momentum swung once again in the third, as the Spaniard broke at 2-1 and maintained her composure to clinch a main draw spot on her fourth match point.
Despite the loss, Murray, 31, said she’ll probably sign in at Wimbledon next week hoping for a mixed doubles wild card. Any chance she could play alongside namesake Andy?
“Absolutely I would love to do that – but I’m not really expecting the call from him anytime soon!”
Elsewhere on the final day of qualifying, 15-year-old American Cori Gauff thrashed Belgian Greet Minnen 6-1, 6-1 to become the youngest woman to ever qualify for Wimbledon in the open era, and the first 15-year-old to play in the main draw since Laura Robson ten years ago.
2013 German finalist Sabine Lisicki lost a tight three-setter to Lesley Kerkhove, while former world No 35 Jiri Vesely, who reached the second week at SW19 last year, qualified in straight sets.
