Wimbledon Qualifier Sees Surprising Upset as Briton Clarke Denies Argentine Veteran Schwartzman
In a captivating first-round Wimbledon qualifying match, British player Jay Clarke, ranked 322nd in the world, pulled off a stunning upset by defeating former world number eight Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in straight sets. The 24-year-old Clarke emerged victorious with a 6-4, 6-3 win, dashing the 31-year-old Schwartzman’s hopes of making one final trip to the iconic Wimbledon tournament before his planned retirement at the start of 2025.
Clarke, the British number 15, will face Frenchman Quentin Halys in the second round at Roehampton, while compatriot George Loffhagen was the only other Briton to progress on Monday, winning 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 against Italy’s Stefano Travaglia.
However, it was not all good news for the British players, as wildcard Jack Pinnington Jones, who reached the quarter-finals in Nottingham last week, was beaten 6-0, 6-3 by Frenchman Lucas Pouille. Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Richard Gasquet also defeated Oliver Crawford 6-2, 7-6(10-8).
“It was a captivating first-round Wimbledon qualifying match, and I’m thrilled with the result,” said Jay Clarke. “Defeating a player of Schwartzman’s caliber is a significant achievement, and I’m looking forward to the next round.”
Other Britons to suffer defeats included Ryan Peniston, who fell to a 7-6(12-10), 6-2 loss against Benjamin Bonzi of France, while Felix Gill and Stuart Parker were also beaten in straight sets. Anton Matusevich won the first set against Tomas Barrios Vera, but the Chilean fought back to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Elsewhere, two-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist David Goffin of Belgium defeated Australian Marc Polmans in straight sets.
The first round of the women’s qualifying starts on Tuesday, with eight Britons in action.
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