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  • British pre-Wimbledon hype machine shifts up a gear

    6/20/08 2:13 PM | Johan Lindahl
    - The local pre-Wimbledon tennis hysteria has been stepped up a notch, with London tabloids hyping the chances of a No. 659 Brit who managed to get through qualifying rounds.

    Chris Eaton, a formerly unknown 20-year-old, is in the midst of his 15 minutes of fame - which is likely to come to a screeching halt once he is knocked out at the Grand Slam which starts on Monday.

    Eaton's new hero status is being given a full-on beat-up, with dispatches praising his advancement through “brutally tough qualifying competition” on what have always been dodgy grass courts at Roehampton.

    The Brit broke the mold with a 31-ace performance to book his place after getting into qualifying by winning a playoff for British no-hopers sponsored by the cash-rich Lawn Tennis Association.

    In a country where national No. 1 Andy Murray (11th on the ATP) stands 249 spots higher than No. 2 Jamie Baker, Eaton ranks 13th in the pecking order.

    But the youngster may have something extra going for him, after attending a posh secondary school once frequented by Tim Henman. “This just means everything to me,” said the delighted hero-for-a-day.

    “I'd love to get one of the big guys on one of the main courts but I wouldn't mind if it's someone lesser known who I've got more chance of beating.”

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