BASINGSTOKE tennis ace Josh Goodall lost in the second round of qualifying at the AEGON Championship at Queens. The British number five was beaten in three sets by number five seed Australian Sam Groth 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.
The serve of the Aussie, ranked 220 in the world – 73 places above his British opponent – proved the telling factor as he served an unbelievable 39 aces in the match, 18 of which came in the first-set, which he lost in a tie-break 9-7.
In his opening match, Goodall saw off Stefan Sterland-Markovic, winning the first set 7-5 after a tie-break and breaking his fellow Brit in the 12th game of the second set to win it 7-5 and take the match.
Goodall had been hoping to make it into the main draw of the tournament but the Basingstoke-born player will now focus on playing at Wimbledon, where in the singles he may well have to qualify, but he will hope for a wildcard in the doubles, where he will partner British number two James Ward.
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