Washington Gets Upstaged in Upset; Doug Flach Keeps Hanging Around

The upset that got lost in Wednesday’s second-round matches was MaliVai Washington’s defeat of ninth-seeded Thomas Enqvist, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

It’s the first time Washington, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., has reached the third round of Wimbledon.

When, he was asked, did you know you had the match won?

“I felt pretty confident that the match was in my hands when I hit that final ace and we were about to shake hands,” Washington said. “I knew at that point I had him.”

Washington, a Davis Cup veteran and member of the U.S. Olympic team, is ranked 20th.

“I always say, if you deserve to be there, you’ll perform at the Grand Slams, it’s that simple,” he said. “So far, I’ve been successful here, but I’d like to win a couple of more rounds.”

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Doug Flach, household name? Not quite, but the man who upset Andre Agassi is getting more well known in England, thanks to television and newspaper exposure since Monday’s match.

Flach defeated Jared Palmer, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, Wednesday to get into the third round. He has been so busy giving interviews and talking to long-lost relatives and friends on the phone, he has found playing tennis a refuge from his own hype.

Still, for No. 281, any news is good news.

“I am more than happy to do anything,” Flach said. “I haven’t done too many interviews too many times. So, it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been overwhelming.”

The only trouble he has run into is at his hotel: Flach, a qualifier, never expected to stay in the tournament this long and every day he’s extending his reservation.

“Two days in a row I’ve gotten messages [from his hotel], ‘When are you leaving, when are you leaving? Please let us know.’ ”