Early problems for Ancic

Mario Ancic, the 18-year-old proteg of last year’s Wimbledon’s men’s champion Goran Ivanisevic, lost the first set 6-4 against the Czech Republic’s Jan Vacek in the second round today.

Ancic, from Croatia, who caused a big upset with his straight-sets victory over fancied seventh seed Roger Federer in the first round, had his serve broken without registering a point in the opening game.

The youngest player left in the men’s singles overcame a hesitant start to recover from 2-0 down and break back at 2-2.

But he showed he possesses the volatile temperament, as well as the playing style, of Ivanisevic when he threw his racket at the chair during the changeover after being broken again to go 5-4 down, earning a quiet word of caution from umpire Jeremy Shales.

Ancic lost the second set 6-4 as Vacek established a two sets to love lead.

This time it was Vacek’s turn to lose his temper and throw his racquet, after a tame shot into the net enabled Ancic to break his serve and take a quick 2-0 lead.

But the 26-year-old Czech, ranked 80 in the world, broke back in the fifth game, thanks to a superb running forehand down the line and a fine cross-court backhand, and broke again to go 5-4 up before serving out for the set.