| Monday, 16 June 2008 Written by Helen Gilbert Two former Wimbledon champions were made to fight this afternoon to progress to the second round of the Wimbledon qualifying event.
Wesley Moodie, who as a qualifier in 2005 won the Men’s Doubles title with Stephen Huss, and 1997 Junior Wimbledon champion Gilles Muller both won their first round matches, but it was not all one-way traffic.
Number one seed Muller, who is ranked 105 in the world, was troubled by Turk young-gun Marsel Ilhan. Ilhan played outstanding tennis to force a first set tie-break, which he eventually clinched after defending two set-points.
But Muller sharpened up in the second set, serving well and attacking the net to secure the break and the second 6-4.
The pattern was repeated in the third, amidst plenty of shouting about the surface after Muller mis-hit a couple of balls. But when he began firing off aces it wasn’t long before he pocketed the match 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-4.
Speaking off court, Muller revealed he had not had much practice on grass.
"I’m happy that I played a bigger match because I didn't have a chance to play on grass," he said. "When I came here it was raining a lot and when I played Queen's I lost first round."
The No. 1 seed admitted he was "tight" in the first set but loosened up in the second, which helped him dominate the net.
He added: "I am feeling good physically because I haven't played a lot. I'm feeling fresh."
Elsewhere, Wesley Moodie stood his ground against France's Sebastien De Chaunac.
Sporting a strapped left knee, the mild-mannered South African produced a solid serve-volley game to take the match 6-4, 7-5.
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