Wimbledon NOTEBOOK

Lone American winner: When Bobby Reynolds started his first-round match, U.S. men were 0-4 on Day 1. The pressure was on. Vince Spadea, Sam Querrey, Robby Ginepri and Kevin Kim had all lost. “This first day was just a bunch of tough draws for the guys,” said Reynolds, who won the first two sets 6-2, 6-2 before Italy’s Filippo Volandri retired with left knee pain. “I guess I’m happy that I won, but obviously, you’d like to see all the Americans do well everyday.” Kim missed a chance to play five-time champion Roger Federer in the second round when he went down 7-5, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Robin Soderling. Spadea was up a set and a break in the fourth before things started to go wrong and he lost 6-7 (8), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson of Sweden. “At 4-3, I’m two games away from winning. It’s just not a good day for me,” he said. “I didn’t put it away. I don’t usually let matches like that slip away, but I did today. On grass, you have to learn how to put it away and it should be easier, but for me it’s harder.”

Hewitt through: Lleyton Hewitt was one set from leaving Roger Federer as the only Wimbledon champion in the men’s draw on the first day of matches at the All England Club. Hewitt, who has been sidelined with chronic hip pain in recent seasons, needed to draw on all his survival skills to fend off 21-year-old Dutch player Robin Haase 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-2 in 3 hours, 35 minutes on Court 1. The 27-year-old Australian was the last man to win Wimbledon before Federer’s five-year streak started in 2003. At least he made it to the second round. David Nalbandian, who lost the 2002 final to Hewitt, went out in straight sets to Canada’s Frank Dancevic. Hewitt was cautioned by chair umpire Fergus Murphy for unsportsmanlike conduct after complaining that a line judge was singling him out for foot-faults. He’d earlier smashed his racket to the ground after saving two break points in the first set.

Stay home: British police have warned 11 potential stalkers or troublemakers to stay away from Wimbledon during the two-week tournament. Police at the All England Club didn’t say which players were at risk from the “fixated individuals.” “There are a number of individuals well known to the police, the All England Club and the tennis authorities,” police superintendent Pete Dobson said Monday. “They have been written to and banned from entering the club.” A member of one player’s family has been issued with a restraining order barring him from Wimbledon during the next two weeks. The police did not identify the family. A man believed to have been stalking 2004 champion Maria Sharapova was banned from the tournament in 2005.

Associated Press