Annie KO a blow for giddy Brits
Annie KO a blow for giddy Brits
To the uninitiated the scoreboard gave little away, but
once the first fuzzy yellow ball was struck there could be no doubt
that it was Anne Keothavong who was Britain's darling on day four of the
Wimbledon championships.
Despite her Laotian surname, Hackney-born Keothavong is
as British as they come, and a giddily jingoistic crowd festooned with
union jack paraphernalia threw themselves behind her.
Treated already this year to Queen Elizabeth's diamond
jubilee celebrations and with the London Olympics less than a month
away, a swell of patriotism is gripping Britain.
But on a verdant patch of Wimbledon turf, the feel good
factor was put on ice temporarily as Britain's number one was put
firmly in her place by a fizzing, bouncing bundle of Italian energy in
Sara Errani.
"It was a nice court to play on and I had lots of
support," Keothavong said wistfully following the 6-1 6-1 second-round
defeat. "I'm just disappointed I couldn't have done a little better."
Realists, of course, would have known French Open
finalist Errani would almost certainly have proved too strong for
Britain's world number 77, but for the most part realism has been
suspended as a patriotic aura grips the British Isles in 2012.
Errani, though, had no problem playing the party
pooper. She pumped the ball deep into British territory time and time
again, only relenting to throw in the deftest of touches and bamboozle
once again an increasingly frustrated Keothavong.
Set one disappeared in a flash and at the 50-minute
mark, the calls of "Come on Annie" could hardly have been more forlorn.
Whether it was the bright sun in her face, or mounting
frustration threatening the 28-year-old's resolve, Keothavong displayed a
permanent grimace.
Then it was over. A duffed dropshot into the net handed
Errani victory after 59 minutes. Keothavong collected her bag, and
walked slowly, head bowed, into the bowels of the All England Club.
"I know I can play better. I didn't challenge her today
as much as I would have liked," she said. "To lose in that fashion,
it's not particularly pleasing.
"I just forced it a bit too much. I managed to kind of just hit myself off the court, I guess."
But even for Keothavong, in her moment of sad reflection, the Olympics provided a glimmer of redemption.
"Yeah, that's the one thing that puts a smile on my
face," she grinned. "Every time I think of the Olympics, I'm just over
the moon about the selection.
"I have never been part of an Olympic team before. It's
something new. It's something special. And the fact that it's in
London, yeah, I'm super‑pumped about it."
