TENNIS: James Davidson is hoping to gatecrash his way into this year's Wimbledon mixed doubles championship after missing out in the singles and men's doubles.
The 27-year-old from Gerrards Cross went out in the penultimate round of qualifying for the singles to South African Neville Godwin at Roehampton on Tuesday. Then he suffered further heartache when his men's doubles dream was ko'd without him even getting on court.
Davidson and his Swedish partner, Magnus Larsson, had been expecting to play in the qualifying competition but they were refused a berth when a late flood of higher-ranked entries pushed them out.
Now the resilient Bull Lane player is hoping to slide into the SW19 tournament in the mixed doubles instead.
There is no qualifying involved in that competition and potential players are invited to sign up with their partners at Wimbledon on Wednesday and hope for the best.
Davidson has teamed up with Welsh ace Victoria Davies and the pair are now hoping that lady luck is with them when the selectors meet on Wednesday night.
Davidson, who went out in the first round of his first Wimbledon last year with men's doubles partner Oliver Freelove, is desperate to be part of the Wimbledon fortnight again.
He said: "It is such a fantastic event to be involved in. I found out how special Wimbledon is last year I really want to be involved again. I was disappointed to go out in the singles and not to get a chance in the men's doubles."
After winning three pre-qualifying matches to take his place in the first round of this week's qualifying competition at Roehampton, Davidson looked on course to qualify for the men's singles when he took just 57 minutes to overcome Ladislav Svarc 6-2,6-2 in his first match in the singles.
But Davidson, who is ranked 620th in the world, met his match in the second round of qualifying when he only managed to take three games off Godwin, before losing 6-1, 6-2.
Davidson said: "I knew it was going to be tough. He was in top form and I didn't play that well on the day when I needed to play very well to beat him."
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