Bogdanovic vows to repay LTA chiefs for the faith they've shown in him

Trumpeting his achievements: Alex Bogdanovic

The Serbia-born left-hander has already been given a wild card for Wimbledon
next week - in line with the LTA's policy of rewarding players in the top 250 -
but was made to qualify at Nottingham.

That proved to be the right decision for Bogdanovic as he racked up three
victories over the weekend to reach the main draw.

His last two matches - against Igor Kunitsyn on Saturday and Alejandro Falla
yesterday - were straight-sets wins over players ranked more than 100 places
higher.

And Bogdanovic is hoping to take that momentum into the first round, where he
will face fellow Brit James Ward.

"I'm pleased with how I played," he told www.lta.org.uk.

"My opponent served really well in the first set but I just hung in there and
took my chances.

"I've had three matches here so far, it's great that I've made the main draw
and I'm looking forward to my first-round match."

Ward was one of three home players, along with Alex Slabinsky and Jamie Baker,
to be given wild cards for the tournament.

Baker's presence in the draw is the most encouraging with the 21-year-old
having recovered faster than expected from a serious illness.

The 21-year-old Scot, who will face a qualifier, was enjoying one of the best
periods of his career after following up his first victory in a Davis Cup match
against Argentina in February with two Futures titles.

But he then spent three days in intensive care in Florida after contracting the
life-threatening virus immune thrombocytopenic purpura and has not played a tour
match since March.

Bogdanovic was one of three British players in the final round of qualifying
but was the only one to reach the main draw after Chris Eaton and Dan Cox both
lost.

Eaton, 20, was beaten 6-3 7-5 by American Vince Spadea while teenager Cox lost
by the same score to Japan's Kei Nishikori, who pushed Rafael Nadal to three
sets at the Artois Championships last week.

Both players will now attempt to qualify for Wimbledon, and LTA head coach Paul
Annacone paid tribute to their efforts.

"Chris Eaton and Dan Cox played some excellent tennis against top 100 players
this weekend and can go into their qualifying matches for Wimbledon full of
confidence," he said.

The pick of the first-round action today sees defending champion Ivo Karlovic
face two-time former winner Jonas Bjorkman and second seed Paul-Henri Mathieu
take on promising Croatian Marin Cilic.