• ATP Tour

James Ward creating more headlines at Eastbourne

James Ward will return on Wednesday © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Ward caught cold as Tipsarevic clinches victory
  
• News: ATP Tour Seedings
  
• Profile: Lleyton Hewitt | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

ATP Tour seedings

British No. 2 James Ward is in giant-killing mood once again after he forced world No. 30 Janko Tipsarevic into a second day at the AEGON International on Tuesday.

Ward was a revelation at Queen's last week, reaching the semi-finals with triumphs over Stanislas Wawrinka and Sam Querrey. He appears to be ready to repeat the trick at Eastbourne, fighting back from a set down to level with Tipsarevic at 3-6 6-4 before darkness drew play to a close.

The Briton only conceded one break point to his rival in 70 minutes on court, but it was enough for Tipsarevic to take the opening set. Both men looked comfortable on serve, so it was a pivotal moment when Ward secured a break of his own to clinch the second, and there will be a large home following awaiting his return on Wednesday to decide the match.

Lleyton Hewitt appears to be a major doubt for Wimbledon after he retired during the second set of his clash with Olivier Rochus. Hewitt was trailing 6-2 3-0 when he approached his opponent to concede.

The 2002 Wimbledon champion is on the comeback trail from foot surgery, and he looked completely out of sorts on Tuesday, committing 22 unforced errors. Hewitt was beaten early in Halle last week, and he again did not look happy as he stunned the Eastbourne crowd with his second-set walk-off.

Afterwards, Hewitt revealed that constant "stabbing pain" had forced him to leave the court.

"It was touch and go whether I'd be able to play here anyway. I slipped over last week at the end of the first set against (Philipp) Kohlschreiber and stirred up the foot that I had surgery on," he said.

"Since then I've just been trying to get treatment. I've been talking with the doctors here. It just hasn't quite improved as much as I would have liked by today, but I wanted to come out and try anyway. I obviously have to focus on Wimbledon now next week."

Beaten Queen's finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga carried his momentum into the AEGON International, defeating Denis Istomin 6-2 7-5. Tsonga, who lost Monday's final to Andy Murray, broke four times to wrap up victory in an hour and a half.

British wildcard entrant Daniel Cox looked out of his depth against America's Donald Young, losing 6-1 7-5. Cox has been granted a wildcard for Wimbledon, but he was broken three times in a swift loss to Young.

Also in the men's draw, No. 5 seed Sergiy Stakhovsky was stunned 6-3 6-2 by veteran German Rainer Schuettler, and sixth seed Kevin Anderson saw off British qualifier Alexander Slabinsky 7-5 6-3.

At the UNICEF Open, Xavier Malisse showed the type of form that once swept him to a Wimbledon semi-final as he dismissed Alejandro Falla 6-3 6-1 in the first round. Falla was the man who took a two-set lead before eventually losing to Roger Federer in the first round of Wimbledon last year, but he looked a world away from that form against Malisse.

Elsewhere, fifth seed Jarkko Nieminen saw off Maximo Gonzalez 7-5 6-1, the talented Alexandr Bogomolov needed three sets to beat Jeremy Chardy 3-6 6-4 7-6(7), and No. 4 seed Ivan Dodig had too much for Andreas Haider-Maurer in a 6-4 6-3 second-round victory.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.