NOTEBOOK

NOTEBOOK

Wimbledon

Gimelstob makes history: In what might have been his last Wimbledon match, Justin Gimelstob made a bit of history: He was the first player to use instant replay at the All England Club. During his 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (3) first-round loss to Andy Roddick Monday, the 155th-ranked Gimelstob invoked the “Hawk-Eye” challenge system to check one of his serves that was called wide in the first set. He lost that, too. “I’d like to have a few more important records, but I’ll take what I can get,” said the American, who watched on one of the new courtside video screens when the replay showed it was, indeed, a fault. Several fans groaned in unison. The challenge system is making its Wimbledon debut this year on Centre Court and Court 1. Its Grand Slam debut came at last year’s U.S. Open. There were a total of 16 challenges made Monday, with four calls getting overturned. The 30-year-old Gimelstob had back surgery in September and figures this might be his final year on tour. That’s why the results of his matches are less important than the experiences right now. “It’s a cliché, but it’s so amazing out there, and I couldn’t help but think a little bit towards the end of the match that this most likely is my last time I’ll ever be on the court playing singles here,” Gimelstob said.

Hingis rallies: The “graveyard of champions” nearly claimed another victim Monday. Martina Hingis, the 1997 champion at the All England Club, needed to save two match points to beat British wild card Naomi Cavaday 6-7 (1), 7-5, 6-0. “I was just like, ‘No, this is not going to happen to me, not here again at Wimbledon,’ ” Hingis said. “I never lost on Court 2. I know it’s a ‘graveyard of champions,’ but it’s never been to me.” Hingis had not played since losing at the German Open in early May because of hip and back injuries.

Henman hangs on: Much to the home fans’ delight, Tim Henman hung on to play another day. The four-time semifinalist, long considered Britain’s best hope to win a title at the All England Club, was locked in a tight first-round match against former No. 1 Carlos Moya when play was suspended because of darkness at 5-5 in the fifth set Monday night. Henman trailed by a set, then was down a break in the fifth, but managed to prolong the match. The fans on Centre Court cheered wildly — some even standing to applaud — when Moya double-faulted to get broken to 4-4 in the decisive set. After Henman held to go ahead 5-4, he wasted four match points, and Moya wound up holding serve. That’s when the players met at the net and agreed it was too hard to see. Henman lost in the second round at Wimbledon the last two years. The last British man to win the championship at Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1936.

Associated Press