Wimbledon 2012: Fabulous Baker boy's return could cost mum and dad
Comeback kid Brian Baker insists he is determined to extend his fairytale run at Wimbledon even if it wreaks more havoc with his family's travel plans and bank balance.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: June 30, 2012 08:49 PM IST
Comeback kid Brian Baker insists he is determined to extend his fairytale run at Wimbledon even if it wreaks more havoc with his family's travel plans and bank balance.
Baker's return from injury hit a new high on Saturday as the American qualifier moved into the fourth round with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over France's Benoit Paire.
Baker lost six years of his career after five different operations on a hernia, then his left and right hips and finally his right elbow.
He eventually felt ready to return to tennis in July 2011 and the 27-year-old has enjoyed a remarkably successful time back on the circuit.
But even the world number 126, who had never been past the second round of a Grand Slam until this week, would have laughed if someone suggested he would still be around for the second week of Wimbledon.
Yet, after seeing off Paire, Baker will be among the last 16 men remaining in the tournament on Monday and he faces German 27th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the last eight.
Baker's family and girlfriend have all flown over from America to witness the latest chapter in his storybook success, but his longer-than-expected run has already forced them to change their travel plans twice at some expense.
However, with £75,000 ($117,798) in guaranteed prize money for reaching the last 16, and nearly double that amount available with a victory over Kohlschreiber, Baker has no intention of letting his adventure end just yet.
"It's been unreal. It's kind of crazy what's going on, but I'm still trying to go in there hungry, instead of thinking, 'I'm in the Round of 16 of Wimbledon; this is awesome'," Baker said.
"I think my family have had to change their plans twice. They weren't that confident in me starting out!.
"It makes it a lot more special to be able to share it with family and girlfriend than it is if you're just doing it on your own.
"I know they've booked to stay for past my next match. At least they think I can win one more."
Even when Baker was at his lowest ebb after the elbow surgery that left him facing yet another extended spell out of action, he always believed he had the game to compete at major tournaments like Wimbledon.
"At one point you're like, 'Why is my body not cooperating? Am I ever going to get out to play?' I think that happened around the same time as the elbow surgery. That was probably one of the more difficult moments, he said.
"But I've always been confident in my game. I always knew I was a good player.
"It was just whether the body would cooperate and whether I could get more than even six, eight, twelve months healthy and able to play."
The turning point came when he reached the final at the ATP clay-court event in Nice earlier this year.
"I've been saying all along that Nice was huge for my confidence. Not just getting to the finals, but having quality wins over good players," he said.
Baker started the year ranked 458 but is projected to be ranked around 78 after Wimbledon.
Even that incredible achievement can't quench Baker's thirst for more success as he tries to make up for so much lost time.
"Ever since a child, I've always dreamed it would be great to play on Centre Court at Wimbledon," he added.