| By Chris Oddo |
Photo Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/GettyImages |
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(May 28, 2012)—The impossible dream that is Brian Baker’s resurgence is still very much alive. The 27-year-old’s riches-to-rags-to-riches story continued in full force today, as Baker notched his first Grand Slam victory since the 2005 US Open today with a 6-3, 7-6(1), 7-6(5) win over former world No. 19 Xavier Malisse of Belgium.
Baker’s 46-winner, 9-ace performance sets up a second-round clash with Frenchman Gilles Simon.
Ironically for Baker, his last Grand Slam match in 2005 was also against Malisse. In New York that year he lost to Malisse in four sets in the second round, before falling off the tennis radar while suffering through a series of complicated physical ailments that led to five surgeries, including three on his hips.
Today, Baker finally paid Malisse back, but revenge was the last thing on his mind. “It’s kind of funny that I’ve only played a handful of Grand Slam matches and I’ve played him twice,” said Baker. “But that was so long ago that I don’t think I’ve put to much stock in that. Maybe a little bit, just that I’ve seen him on the other side of the net.”
As far as his health, aside from the usual fatigue, Baker’s doesn’t think it will hold him back. “I’ve had a lot of matches the last couple weeks and I think I had a little energy lull for a couple of games,” said Baker, referring to some difficulties he had in the third set against Malisse. “I really should have just taken my time and just focused a little bit more, because I played two of the worst games I think I’ve ever played right there [while trying to close out the third set], hopefully I’ll be able to improve on that next time.”
“I didn’t even know that he had won,” said Baker in an on-court interview with Rennae Stubbs. “I’m sure that we’ll be playing on a big court.”
Baker, in spite of his heavy workload in the last few weeks (8 matches in just over a week in Nice and now in Paris), relishes the idea of going the distance with Simon. “Hopefully it’ll be a long one,” he said.
Simon was masterful in his third straight defeat of 20-year-old American Ryan Harrison, fighting back after dropping the first set to win in four, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1.
With American Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier and the USTA’s Head of Men’s Tennis Jay Berger in attendance, Harrison wasn’t able to fulfill his “next big thing” status against the defensive stylings of Simon.
Simon made good on 7 of 9 break point opportunities against Harrison, and time and time again, when the American looked to be in control of rallies, Simon found a way to make Harrison hit another ball.
And another.
And another.
It’s the calling card of Simon, who is one of the tour’s most preternaturally gifted defensive players. He also knows his own game so well that he seems to pick the perfect time to attack, without taking too much risk or expending too much energy.
Harrison, who was looking for his first Roland Garros win, can still take solace in the fact that he’s worked himself up to a career-high ranking of 56 at the ripe age of 20.
The bad news? He’s lost seven straight matches against top 20 opposition—these are the ones he’ll need to start winning to move higher in the rankings.